As our children grow up, they’re bound to outgrow their old clothes. But instead of throwing away their pre-loved items, you can consider looking for places where you can sell your kids’ used clothes.
Not only do they go to someone needy, but you also get to play a part in waste reduction!
But don’t just take it from us. The founder of Retykle, Sarah Garner, sat down with theAsianparent to talk about why families should consider selling and even shopping for second-hand children’s clothing, toys and nursery gear.
Starting A Business Where Parents Can Shop And Sell Pre-Loved Kids Clothes
Image source: Retykle
As a Canadian mum of two living in Hong Kong, Sarah experienced firsthand the way her eldest son sped through his baby wardrobe–largely untouched. Because of this, she knew this was something that “needed fixing.”
Soon enough, her desire to build a platform that facilitated efficient sharing and circularity led her to officially start Retykle.
She tells theAsianparent, “I launched Retykle in 2016 as I wanted to create a circular fashion solution that addressed our problems of fashion waste whilst positively impacting families, our communities, and the environment.”
“When I had my first child, it allowed me to put into focus my desire for serving him and his future. This pushed me to reorient my career, tapping into my past experience to further my passion for a more sustainable fashion industry,” she adds.
In order to keep up with children’s ever-rotating wardrobes, Sarah explains that Retykle offers a platform where parents can buy and sell their children’s clothes secondhand, dramatically reducing environmental footprint incurred.
The challenges along the way
Of course, it wasn’t easy starting up the business. Sarah shares that the most challenging part was the technical side of the process, which was entirely new to her.
She admits it was a “tough process at first” as she had to seek out developers for the website while also figuring out which platforms, software, and digital marketing tools to use.
It was also a challenge to overcome “preconceived notions about online resale.”
“When Retykle started, we sought to unlock participation from those who would never have conceived of buying or selling on a Facebook group as well as make life easier for those who were more used to secondhand marketplaces,” she adds.
Being a woman in the kids’ fashion industry, Sarah also had to fight against this bias of a mum starting a business as opposed it being just a ‘hobby.’ She felt from the start that Retykle was stigmatised as a ‘project’ despite it being a ‘real business.’
“I believe that more female founders should be sharing their stories, to show that it is indeed possible for a woman to be both a mother and the owner of a flourishing business,” Sarah makes sure to add.
Retykle has grown since its launch and is now the largest online consignment platform for baby, kids, and maternity fashion, gear, and toys in Asia.
The Importance Of Shopping And Selling Second-hand Clothes
Image source: Retykle
“Many are well aware of the negative impact the fashion industry has on the environment but this is magnified when it comes to children’s wear since they don’t stop growing!” Sarah exclaims.
She continues, “For example, if everyone bought 1 used item instead of a new one, we would save nearly 6 billion lbs of CO2e. In fact, we’re happy to share that since our founding in 2016, Retykle has recirculated 150,000 items of clothing to date, saving 407,100 lb of carbon and 313 million litres of water!”
By taking into consideration the places to shop and sell pre-loved items locally, Sarah says one can avoid the occurrence of clothes being shipped from around the world. This can then help reduce plastic bags that would have otherwise been used to individually package a new clothing item.
“By purchasing great quality brands, you are ensuring that they will be able to be kept in circulation and out of landfills. The provision of an afterlife market has also made consumers care for their clothes better,” says the mum of two.
Sarah also talks about how there is no better way to impart the importance of eco-conscious habits to our children than to include them in our closet clear outs. “By doing so, our little ones learn about the impact their wardrobes can have on the environment, and how they can do their part to minimise this,” she says.
“We need more successful businesswomen to be role models to encourage those who dream of starting their own business,” says the mumpreneur.
“Also, I hope that stories such as mine will encourage investors and the wider ecosystem to throw more support behind aspiring as well as current female entrepreneurs irrespective of their life stage,” she adds.
The Do’s And Don’ts Of Shopping Or Selling Kids’ Clothes
Image source: Retykle
On what you should and should not do when shopping or selling second-hand kids clothes, Sarah gives theAsianparent the following ‘do’s and don’ts’:
What To Do
- Keep your children’s clothes stored properly at home to maintain their condition.
- Keep clothes ordered by age/size in your closet so that you are aware of what clothing is in use or outgrown.
- Always shop one size up/ahead so that your tykes have plenty of room to grow into.
- Think about what activities or events your child may have coming up and plan their wardrobes accordingly.
What Not To Do
- Send in clothing that is not freshly laundered. Shoes in particular can look almost brand new after a good clean and will keep their resale value.
- Forget to regularly do a closet clearout and keep on top of which items you no longer need.
Tips For Parents Who Want To Sell Their Pre-loved Clothing
Image source: Retykle
Sarah also shared a few tips for parents who are wondering where to shop or sell their kids’ clothes and what they should take note of beforehand:
5 Tips For Selling
1. Have a thorough check of each item to ensure there are no visible stains, tears or other defects that might make it unacceptable for resale.
2. Shop from popular brands that are likely to be wanted by others.
3. Sell ‘in season’ – understandably winter items are not very popular in summer and vice versa!
4. Read & adhere to the care labels properly to ensure you keep the clothing in great condition.
5. We understand that it is hard to sell your children’s outgrown items when you might have an emotional attachment to them. Perhaps you have a photo of your child in their favourite outfit instead that you can keep?
Focus on the fact that your clothing is going to be enjoyed by another family and will be part of even more wonderful memories.
5 Tips For Buying
1. Check the Retykle website regularly – we upload hundreds of items every day and the most popular brands always sell out fast.
2. Use the filters to help narrow down your search – we have tens of thousands of products listed online that can take a long time to go through.
Use the filters, such as size or season, to narrow down your search and look at just what you need.
3. Think about what your child already has in their wardrobe – try and buy pieces that will go with the clothing they already own. That way you will maximise the usage of their entire closet.
4. Use your Tyke points – once you sign up for our loyalty program, every time you shop with us you’ll earn store credit in the form of Tyke Points. You can then use your Tyke points to redeem incredible discounts on your future purchases.
5. Know your child’s favourite brands and styles so that you are always buying pieces you know they are going to love.
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Charities In Singapore To Donate Pre-loved Items And Do Thrift Shopping
Dos and Don’ts of Buying Pre-loved Kids Products
