Buffalo Exchange
Images courtesy of Madewell.
I started frequenting Buffalo Exchange in college when the concept of a brand new article of clothing was simply out of reach based on my budget. They served me well throughout my college years and into my twenties until, at some point, I found myself with the budget to buy new clothing, and a complete and utter lack of patience to sift through all. the. racks. But I keep going back to Buffalo for one key reason: to sell my old crap and get some cash!
The selling process is remarkably easy. You walk in during business hours with no appointment needed - just bring your photo I.D. and take your bags to one of the buyers. They’ll go through your items and set aside the ones they want to buy. Anything they don’t buy, you can either take home or leave for them to donate to a reputable local nonprofit organization (read: no trips to Goodwill required). For every item sold, you’ll have the option of getting 30% in cash back, or 50% in store credit/trade. During my last run, I sold $209 worth in store credit, which enabled me to walk away with a gorgeous Madewell crossbody bag, a near-brand-new pair of Maguba clogs, and a cool $75 in cash back in my damn pocket.
Pro Tip: Look, I’ll be honest. It may be easy selling to Buffalo, but it’s not always fun. It can be soul-crushing to stand there and watch a complete stranger sort through your belongings with an unparalleled level of snobbery. I know plenty of people who never re-sell their old clothes exclusively because this process can be so mortifying. But there’s a loophole, y’all! When you drop off your stuff, just tell them you want to look around while they go through your bags! It’s a win-win for everyone. They get to assess your haul without the added awkwardness of having you stand there, you get to avoid the shame of watching and shop around for something worth taking home. That’s how I stumbled on my (new to me) Madewell and Magubas and I couldn’t be happier with them both!
The Bottom Line: I can’t vouch for Buffalo Exchange’s employee policies or benefits, but there are a handful of indicators that lead me to believe that on the balance, this is a brand worth supporting. First off, the majority of their inventory is recycled. They do have a few new lines in rotation, but for the most part, you can feel good about your carbon footprint shopping here. Second, I’ve observed a positive increase in size inclusivity over the years; a few years back I hardly ever saw any jeans larger than a size 12, but that’s no longer the case. Sure, there’s more XS and S garments than L and XL (it’s no coincidence that I walked away with accessories and not actual clothes…) but they’re making strides. Third, for every bag that customers don’t use, they donate a token to a local charity. Since 1994, the Tokens for Bags program has raised over $800,000 for nonprofit organizations benefitting underserved populations, including women, children, animal rescues and shelters, community food pantries, LGBTQ+ communities, and more. And did I mention that Buffalo Exchange is a women-owned company? That’s not a requirement here at Sustainably Sized, but it certainly doesn’t hurt anything.