ThredUp: U.S. resale apparel to hit $78.8M by 2030; 10 most shopped resale brands…
Secondhand apparel sales are more than doubling the sales of the overall apparel market.
The U.S. secondhand apparel market (which includes online and in-store resale as well as the donation/thrift sector) grew 19% in 2025, which marked its strongest annual growth since 2021 and outpacing the broader retail clothing market by 3.6 times.
The 14th annual "2026 Resale Report" from online resale platform ThredUp also predicts the global secondhand apparel market will reach $393 billion by 2030, growing roughly 9% annually on average and representing about 10% of global apparel spend. A majority (59%) of consumers shopped secondhand apparel in 2025, up seven points in three years.
Looking strictly at online, resale is expected to nearly double by 2030, reaching $48.3 billion from $29.7 billion in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10% annually on average. The report projects 2026 U.S. online resale will hit $31 billion, up from $26 billion in 2025.
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"Resale is no longer just growing, it's taking share," said James Reinhart, CEO, ThredUp. "As the market scales, the next phase will be defined by competition for supply, fragmentation across platforms, and new ways for consumers to discover and engage with secondhand."
According to the report, 58% of retailers agree that lacking a resale presence creates a permanent structural disadvantage, with 42% saying the biggest risk of not scaling rescale is losing Gen Z and millennial market share. Thirty-two percent of retailers view resale as a necessary competitive advantage.
In other findings, J. Crew and Zara head the list of the top 10 most shopped resale brands (by total order volume). The complete list includes:
1. J.Crew;
2. Zara*;
3. Ann Taylor Loft;
4. Old Navy;
5. Gap;
6. Madewell;
7. Banana Republic;
8. Athleta;
9. Lululemon*; and
10. Ann Taylor.
(Zara and Lululemon tied for fastest order growth, up 25% year over year.)
ThredUp also examined consumer trends in a number of areas related to secondhand apparel and resale, including the following.
Artificial Intelligence:
- 69% of surveyed consumers said they are ready to delegate 24/7 monitoring across resale platforms to AI agents to find "holy grail" items;
- 63% said they would be comfortable letting an AI agent negotiate secondhand deals; and
- 39% said AI-assisted authentication would increase confidence when buying from peer-to-peer sellers.
Price pressure:
- 72% of surveyed consumers said rising prices are directly impacting apparel spending; and
- 27% said they will increase their secondhand purchasing to offset further price increases.
Generational Trends:
- 67% of surveyed Gen Z consumers consider resale value before a purchase;
- 62% of Gen Z shopped secondhand in 2025, shifting from high-volume “hauls" to "holy grail" hunting;
- 58% of Gen Z and 55% of millennials prioritize secondhand over new;
- 52% of Gen Z are more likely to buy clothing when resale or trade-in is built in;
- 38% of Gen Z and millennials engage in social resale commerce – nearly triple the rate of older generations.
Seller Trends (consumer):
- 57% of surveyed consumers resell items for income (more than double year over year);
- 36% would resell more frequently if payouts were faster;
23% would accept a lower payout for speed.
The global secondhand market is entering a more competitive, structurally complex phase," said Neil Saunders, GlobalData managing director and retail analyst. "With Gen Z and millennials driving the vast majority of this value, the infrastructure for discovery must evolve into the social feeds where these consumers live."
Methodology
ThredUp’s annual Resale Report contains research and data from GlobalData, a third-party retail analytics firm. GlobalData’s assessment of the secondhand market is determined through consumer surveys, retailer tracking, official public data, data sharing, store observation, and secondary sources. GlobalData conducted a January-February 2026 survey of 3,268 American adults over 18, asking specific questions about their behaviors and preferences for secondhand. GlobalData also surveyed the top 50 U.S. fashion retailers and brands in January 2026 to gather their opinions on resale. ThredUp’s Resale Report also leverages data from internal ThredUp customer and brand performance data.
