Secondhand clothing should be enjoying a back-to-school sales boom—kids outgrow things fast, prices are high, and well-known brands are within reach on resale racks. The real test, however, is whether these clothes actually make it into the classroom. A survey of 2,000 American parents commissioned by Beyond Finance and conducted by Talker Research found that more than half worry their children will be judged by classmates for wearing secondhand clothing or using secondhand supplies, and 70% of respondents said they feel pressure to buy the same clothes, electronics, and supplies as other families.

This pressure becomes more pronounced as children gain more say in shopping decisions. A PwC survey found that 58% of parents consider their children's preferences the biggest influence on back-to-school purchases, and 61% let their kids add items directly to online shopping carts. This poses a unique challenge for the secondhand kids' clothing market: it must appeal both to the parents who pay and to the students who wear the clothes.

Price is pushing more families to consider secondhand options. NerdWallet estimates that American parents will spend an average of $611 on back-to-school this year, down $130 from 2025; 19% of respondents plan to buy at least some secondhand clothing. Deloitte predicts total inflation-adjusted back-to-school spending will fall 6%, but planned spending on clothing and accessories is bucking the trend with a 22% increase. ThredUp's 2026 Resale Report shows that the U.S. secondhand apparel market grew 13% in 2025, nearly four times the growth rate of overall retail apparel, and is projected to reach $78.8 billion domestically by 2030.

ThredUp transaction data reveals more specific trends: comparing two equal 47-day periods, May 15 to June 30 and July 1 to August 16, purchases in the kids' and teen category rose nearly 10%, the average buyer purchased 10% more items, and the share of new customers whose first order included kids' clothing rose by more than 10% (versus only 3% growth in the same period last year). Chief Strategy Officer Alon Rotem noted that the highlight is not just existing customers buying more, but new buyers choosing to start here. Polo Ralph Lauren, Mini Boden, Tea, Hanna Andersson, and Nike became the most popular brands during the early back-to-school season.

Another platform, Depop, reported a 449% year-over-year surge in U.S. kids' clothing sales, with new listings up 479%. National chain Once Upon A Child posted $543.4 million in system-wide sales in 2025, up nearly 5% year over year, with 445 stores; teen-focused Plato's Closet reached $675.5 million in annual sales.

Not all brick-and-mortar stores are enjoying the growth. Quiana Smith, owner of Philadelphia children's secondhand shop Little Palm, said sales fell about 30% year over year in the first eight and a half months of 2026.

Weak demand is not due to a shortage of supply. The share of Instagram social commerce channels is rising: it accounted for just 5% of sales in 2024, reached 11% in 2025, and has climbed to 16% this year. Smith admitted that was a proactive measure to counter the brick-and-mortar decline,

behind which lies a turnover logic of more than 500 million.

Brand sensitivity typically intensifies before adolescence. Two experiments involving children aged 7, 9, and 11 found that from age 9, brands jump to become the dominant product attribute. Research shows that 12-year-olds view brands as symbols of status and identity. Distribution channels also affect secondhand prices: Poshmark charges buyers a $6.49 shipping fee; Depop charges a platform fee of up to 5% (plus $1) and generally does not allow returns for poor fit; ThredUp allows returns within 14 days but charges a $3.99 restocking fee each time and does not refund original shipping.

Little Palm purchasing data shows that boys' clothing in sizes above 5 is the hardest to "acquire but hard to sell," while smaller sizes are more sought after. Sports brands like Nike and backpacks featuring My Little Pony, Dora, and Tinker Bell are in demand. Sneakers dominate sales, accounting for 23% of Depop's kids' clothing, followed by handbags at 14%.

An unavoidable hard cost: Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows children's shoe prices rose 4.7% month over month in June, and invisible tags that can be exposed through daily wear add to the friction of redistribution. Even as the economics of secondhand kids' clothing become increasingly favorable, Little Palm's situation shows that market expansion does not necessarily bring foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores. For secondhand retailers, the back-to-school opportunity lies in balancing brand inventory, size availability, and shopping convenience, while making the secondhand feel something to seek out rather than settle for.

Source: Back-to-School Resale Meets Its Toughest Customer: Children · Originally published 2026-08-31