About thredUP

And they're off...

We started thredUP in January, 2009 mainly because as football loving, bike riding, beer drinking men we couldn't be caught dead at a clothing swap. That, and the whole absurdly inefficient $2B used clothing industry felt like a great place where we could improve the lives of customers, make a decent living, and have more time to watch football, ride bikes and drink beer. thredUP launched as a men’s and women’s shirt swapping site, but it wasn’t long before the obvious “KIDS” pivot was in view - parents needed this service. Clothes don’t grow. Kids do.

Part 2. Kids Grow So Fast!

So we went back to the drawing board. We knew that millions of parents simply gave away hardly worn clothing, and bought new stuff every five months. Why? Because no great solution existed to swap outgrown clothes, for clothes that fit.

In November 2009 we began building version two of thredUP – for kids – using the same innovative swapping platform. We should probably mention that just around the same time, James Reinhart (thredUP Chief knitwit) announced that he and his wife were expecting their first child. Coincidence?... April 2010 marked the launch of today’s thredUP – where busy parents swap kids clothing online.

In September 2010 we relocated from our founding town of Cambridge, MA to the sunny (and less snowy) San Francisco, CA.

A great place to work

As a small team based in San Francisco, CA, we're proud of what we've been able to do for our customers - deliver superior value and convenience. We're also proud that we've been able to provide a great workplace for our team of knitwits. They come to work everyday because they love doing what they do. Finally, we're proud that we've been able to create meaningful jobs in the local economy and help build awareness about sustainable clothing practices and the environment.

thredUP Inc.
580 Market St
4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104