Several mail-in services now accept used clothing, shoes, and textiles from consumers across the U.S., providing store credits or rewards to keep items out of landfills. These programs handle items in any condition from various brands, with options for subscriptions and brand-specific trade-ins. Participants can earn credits redeemable at retailers like Nike, Sephora, and Patagonia.
Americans discard about 17 million tons of textiles annually, with many donation bin items failing to find new homes. Mail-in programs such as Trashie, Retold Recycling, Patagonia Worn Wear, ThredUp, and ReGirlfriend step in to repurpose these materials. Trashie provides prepaid bags for up to 15 pounds of any-brand items, even worn socks or stained T-shirts, earning $5 in TrashieCash per $20 bag at partners including Sephora and Starbucks. Its Unlimited plan costs $68 yearly for endless bags and escalating rewards, with 95% of items repurposed, reused, or recycled into over 600 categories. Retold offers subscription bags holding five pounds each, yielding $15 in rewards per bag usable at sustainable brands like Dropps and Plaine Products, accepting all textiles except unprocessable ones like leather. Consumer Reports notes rewards only for subscribers. Patagonia Worn Wear trades clean, usable Patagonia gear for gift cards worth up to 20% of original prices, sometimes doubled in promotions, with maximum credits reaching $200 for jackets. ThredUp's consignment kits pay cash or enhanced store credit for resalable women's and kids' name-brand clothes, deducting a $14.99 fee, while routing unsold items to partners. ReGirlfriend, via SuperCircle, gives $10 credit per Girlfriend activewear piece or $5 for others, up to 10 items, with a refundable $15 deposit and personalized discounts. Experts recommend sorting items by condition, checking fees, and prioritizing local recycling where available to maximize value.