reformation x ThredUp
Case Study
Developing the Playbook for
Branded Clean Out Programs
Reformation, the cult-favorite fashion brand known for its feminine silhouettes and commitment to sustainability, has always operated with one core mission: to bring sustainable fashion to everyone. As a pioneer in circular fashion, Reformation goes beyond simply designing eco-conscious clothing—it educates its customers, pushes for industry-wide reform, and continually evolves its business model to prioritize environmental impact.
In 2018, Reformation deepened its commitment to circularity by becoming ThredUp’s first-ever Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) partner, piloting what would become the foundation for branded Clean Out programs across the retail industry. The result was a first-of-its-kind collaboration: the Reformation x ThredUp Clean Out Program, designed to make circular fashion easy, rewarding, and scalable.
As consumer expectations around sustainability rise, brands face mounting pressure to take responsibility for the full lifecycle of their products. For Reformation, the challenge was how to scale a circular solution that would not only reduce fashion waste, but also enhance the customer experience and deliver measurable business value.
The Challenge
To address this challenge, Reformation partnered with ThredUp to co-develop a branded Clean Out Program. Customers could pick up a Clean Out Kit in-store or request a prepaid shipping label online, then fill it with gently used clothing from any brand, and send it to ThredUp for free. In return, they received Reformation shopping credit—closing the loop in a way that felt simple, rewarding, and on-brand.
This initiative wasn’t just a one-off program, it was the blueprint. Together, Reformation and ThredUp created the foundational model for how fashion brands can integrate resale into their customer journey, while strengthening both sustainability goals and commercial impact.
The solution
“Partnering with ThredUp lets us extend the life of our clothes in a way that’s seamless for our customers and impactful for the planet. Together, we’re making circular fashion not just possible, but easy."
– Kathleen Talbot, Chief Sustainability Officer & VP of Operations
Customer Loyalty & Spend: The program proved that sustainability incentives can drive deep engagement. On average, customers spent 6x the value of the Reformation credit they received, showing that takeback efforts could directly translate to customer retention and increased lifetime value.
Revenue Impact: With an average post-credit spend of $250, the Clean Out Program generated approximately $1.2 million in net revenue year-to-date, validating the business case for circularity.
Impact & results
Reformation’s partnership with ThredUp is a leading example of how brands can create circular fashion models that not only reduce environmental impact but also drive significant business value. The Clean Out Program shows that when sustainability meets convenience, customers engage deeply, and spend meaningfully.
Conclusion
From idea to impact, let’s turn your brands vision into results. Reach out to our team at RAAS@thredup.com to get started!
About Reformation
Founded in 2009, Reformation is a fashion brand that combines stylish, vintage-inspired designs with sustainable practices, releasing limited-edition collections for individuals who want to look beautiful and live sustainably. Reformation infuses green measures into every aspect of the business, anchored by two industry-leading sustainability commitments: achieving Climate Positivity by 2025 and becoming fully Circular by 2030.
About ThredUp
ThredUp is transforming resale with technology and a mission to inspire the world to think secondhand first. By making it easy to buy and sell secondhand, ThredUp has become one of the world's largest online resale platforms for apparel, shoes and accessories. Sellers love ThredUp because we make it easy to clean out their closets and unlock value for themselves or for the charity of their choice while doing good for the planet. Buyers love shopping value, premium and luxury brands all in one place, at up to 90% off estimated retail price. Our proprietary operating platform is the foundation for our managed marketplace and consists of distributed processing infrastructure, proprietary software and systems and data science expertise. With ThredUp’s Resale-as-a-Service, some of the world's leading brands and retailers are leveraging our platform to deliver customizable, scalable resale experiences to their customers. ThredUp has processed over 172 million unique secondhand items from 55,000 brands across 100 categories. By extending the life cycle of clothing, ThredUp is changing the way consumers shop and ushering in a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.