The Best Things to Buy Secondhand (and What to Skip)

The case for secondhand is easy. The EPA’s waste data puts US textiles headed to landfill at roughly 11 million tons a year, and every resale purchase keeps a piece out of that pile while costing you a fraction of retail. The harder question is what to actually buy used, because some categories hold up beautifully secondhand and some are a coin flip dressed up as a deal.

Buy these used, almost always

Jeans. Denim is the best resale category there is. It’s durable, it fades into character rather than damage, and half the appeal of a great pair is that broken-in feel someone else already did the work on. Sizing is the risk, so stick to brands whose fits you know.

Cashmere and wool sweaters. Quality knits survive years of careful wear, and secondhand prices on real cashmere routinely undercut new fast-fashion acrylic. Check for pilling in the listing photos, and know that pilling is fixable with a comb and ten minutes. Our cashmere capsule guide is a good map of which pieces to hunt first.

Structured bags. Leather improves with age when it’s been treated well, and a structured bag hides its miles better than any garment. Photos tell you nearly everything, corners, handles, and hardware. If you’re weighing new instead, our everyday tote shortlist covers what the same money buys firsthand.

Coats and blazers. High construction cost, low wear frequency. Most coats spend their lives on hangers, which makes outerwear one of the highest-value secondhand categories going.

Think twice on these

Shoes. A gently worn pair can be fine, but soles mold to their first owner, and photos rarely show it. If you buy, look for sole and heel shots, and stick to condition grades at the top of the scale, which is exactly where reading the grade correctly earns its keep.

Anything relying on elasticity. Leggings, shapewear, and stretchy basics lose their snap invisibly. A photo can’t show you dead elastane.

Skip these entirely

Underwear and swimwear are out for obvious reasons, and resale platforms agree. ThredUp won’t even accept undergarments at intake. Plain basics are out on economics rather than hygiene. A secondhand white tee costs a couple of dollars less than a new one and arrives with someone else’s wash history, which is no bargain at all.

Where to do the buying

Category strategy only pays off on a site with real selection and honest grading. That comparison is our online thrift store shortlist, and the short version is that ThredUp’s inspected, filterable catalog makes it the easiest place to hunt the good categories above.

Frequently asked

What sells for the best value secondhand?

Durable categories with visible condition. Jeans, cashmere and wool sweaters, structured leather bags, and outerwear all hold up well and photograph honestly, which makes them the safest secondhand buys.

What should you never buy secondhand?

Underwear and swimwear, which most platforms will not accept anyway. Plain basics are also a poor buy, since the discount over new is tiny. Be cautious with shoes and anything that depends on stretch.

Is buying secondhand actually better for the environment?

Yes. EPA waste data puts US textiles sent to landfill at roughly 11 million tons a year. Every reused garment displaces a new purchase and keeps one more piece in circulation.