The Brand Next Door

View Original

My Top 3 Sustainable Kids Clothes Shops

If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for a lap around Nordstrom/Rack (the motherland) and popping into Little Bipsy, which just so happens to be walkable from our house. Dangerous!

But, as I’ve gotten more conscious of so many things (consumption, spending, consumerism, etc.) while also managing two ever-evolving toddler wardrobes, I’ve been looking for ways to shop smarter and save the world and all that. I have three go-to places I check before hitting up Zara, H&M, Amazon, Nords and the like. They’ve saved me money, time, and our burning planet. Or, at least, I like to think they have.

I’ve been selling and buying with ThredUp for a little over two years. I like their Rewards program (super-easy to earn points) and while their payouts are relatively low, it’s super easy to throw things in a box and drop it off at the post office to clean out your closet. I usually use most of the credit from anything of mine to apply to the latest toddler growth spurt and the selection is huge.

Don’t quote me on this, but I’m pretty sure Mercari pays better than Poshmark does. I’ve never used Poshmark to sell, but I love Mercari. Their smart pricing is pretty slick, it’s super-easy to list items, and there are a bunch of parents with really great taste I follow and buy from relatively frequently. I have a rule for myself that I can shop only with my balance, which has a fun way to keep my trigger finger pulled in. They also recently launched a local pickup option that I really like.

My latest obsession is The Swoondle Society. It’s essentially a fancy swapping service. They send clothes in a reusable bag that you fill and send back to them. They categorize what you send into various trade levels that you get to use to shop! You get five swaps a month and you better believe I fill my cart and swap on the first day I can. It’s especially nice for opposite-gender siblings—B is VERY into pink and purple + Minnie and ODP is currently on a superhero kick. I wouldn’t go out and buy those things generally, so swapping their old clothes for things they love for $15/month is a really great deal for all of us. Plus, it’s nice to think that our clothes are finding good homes, too. The site can be a little wonky (I sign in using our Amazon account, which has been nice, but usually works only on a full web browser, FYI), but it’s all worth it for the rotation and fun we’re getting out of it. I have a code if you want to try it that gives us each $15 (your first month free and a free month for me): UI04T5.

B’s jacket from Zara via ThredUp. Photo by Tiffany Kelterer.

Where do you like to shop sustainably for your kids? I’m always adding to my list!