I’m big fan of Depop! If you’ve never heard of it, let me introduce you. Depop is an app where you can buy and sell clothing between individuals.
Whether you’re looking for a dress for an event or want to sell on clothes that no longer fit, I’ve got tips to get the most from this highly rated fashion marketplace.
Reducing Fashion’s Carbon Footprint
The trend of hauls of new clothes and treating clothes as single use is crippling our planet. The fashion industry is the second-largest industrial polluter, accounting for 10% of global pollution. The perception that wearing an item only a handful of times, is okay, is fueling overproduction and overconsumption. Landfills are piled high with discarded clothing and worse too excess clothing is being burned. In order to reduce the fashion industry’s carbon footprint we need to engage with the reseller market.
In 2019 I bought no new clothes. It was a way to reset my sense of style of fashion (You can read about it here Wear Care, Repair and Wear again) rather than following fast fashion trends. Since then, I’ve been investing in a mix of pre loved clothing, sustainable brands and new investment pieces. I’ve cut right back on shopping from fast fashion brands and my carbon footprint, pocket and wardrobe are all pretty thankful.
Depop helps me to reduce my carbon footprint
I was introduced to Depop in 2019 and I’ve got some brilliant occasion dresses, workout gear, and shoes through the app and sold a few items too.
Depop is an app where you can source and sell good quality secondhand clothing. Sometimes people even list clothing with tags still on where they didn’t get to wear the item or return the item in time.
Just last week, I picked up a few dresses as I have a number of weddings and events this year. Although I’ll be mixing in some of my own wardrobe I wanted to add some ‘new to me’ pieces that I’ll be sure to get loads of wear from. I went on the app, had a browse, favourited some items, made a final decision, contacted the sellers for more information and purchased the dresses.
I’ve outlined below some tips for when you want to start buying or selling on Depop. It’s by no means the perfect solution to the fashion carbon footprint crisis but it’s still pretty handy when looking to rethink your wardrobe.
You can of course also check out local charity shops or online resellers, some of which also list their clothing on Depop as well as their own websites & shops.
Tips for Selling on Depop
- Include actual pictures of the item and even better if you’re wearing them.
- Give a good description of the item including size, fit, colour, material, brand, occasion, condition.
- Price them reasonably, taking into account wear and tear (Depop do charge a fee, as do Paypal so take this into account when listing your item).
- Be aware of what it will cost you to post the item and charge the customer accordingly.
- Having a few items a buyer might want makes it more enticing for them to buy products in bundles (Sellers often reduce the postage costs on bundles).
- Always receive money through the app so you can claim from Depop if there’s any issues.
- Keep your notifications on in case someone messages you.
- Share your Depop handle on your social media, you never know who might like something you’re selling.
- Keep your profile up to date with regards availability of clothing.
Tips for Buying on Depop
- Have a good idea of what you’re looking for in advance and use the relevant search terms including the brands you normally gravitate towards. Play around with the words you use and see what comes up (i.e. midi summer dress, floral dress size 10, ‘brand’ comfy dress, dress new with tags, dress, ‘brand’ 10).
- Know your own body and what works for you.
- Ask for more pictures if you need to, especially actual pictures of the item rather than website screenshots.
- Chat to the seller about the fit and material.
- If between sizes go for the size up as you can always alter it down.
- Check the sellers reviews to ensure they are legitimate and reliable.
- Pay for items through the app so you can claim if there are any issues.
- Expect the odd dud item (Clothing and Shoes will not always match your expectations but you can ensure success by chatting with the seller, inspecting the photos provided and being realistic with sizing).
- Shop within your own Country to avoid any additional taxes or customs.
- You can like or save clothes and come back to them at a later date.
- Be aware there is no option to return an item.
- Leave a review of the Seller.
A selection of clothes I've bought on Depop
(including my wedding shoes)
You can’t beat the buzz of securing a second hand gem! Irish Depop sellers are normally brilliant in terms of answering questions and timeliness of dispatch. The dresses I ordered recently were all delivered within two days and two even had the tags still attached. Success! I can’t wait to wear them this Summer.
I hope you’ll use this as an opportunity to review your own wardrobe. Make some money from clothes that no longer fit or suit your style and find some gems too. Happy Second Hand Shopping. You’ll find my Depop profile at @fiddy1
