Brand Take-Back & Resale Platforms in Canada
As Canadians become more aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion, more brands and retailers are stepping up with take-back and resale programs. These initiatives are part of a growing shift toward circular fashion, where clothing is designed, used, and recirculated in ways that keep textiles out of landfills and reduce waste (ahem – check out our 7Rs of circular fashion).
A reminder that it is best practice to research the end destinations and journey of the clothes you are partign with.
If you’re looking to responsibly part with clothes you no longer wear, here are some of the options available across Canada:
General or Multi-Brand Collection Programs
These programs accept clothing from any brand, often in any condition, making them easy entry points.
H&M – Garment Collecting bins in stores; accepts any brand, in any condition.
Zara – Donation collection bins available in select Canadian locations.Levi’s – In-store recycling boxes for denim and apparel of any brand (in major cities).
The North Face – Clothes the Loop program accepts clean, wearable items from any brand.
Patagonia – Worn Wear encourages resale and reuse of Patagonia gear (available in select Canadian stores).
Brand-Specific Take-Back Programs
These initiatives focus on their own products, often giving customers store credit while ensuring items are reused, resold, or responsibly recycled.
lululemon – Like New resale program: trade in gently used gear for credit at select stores.
Reformation – Partners with thredUP; Canadians can send in Reformation and other items for resale.
tentree – Circularity by tentree: take-back for resale, upcycling, or recycling of tentree pieces.
Anián – Enables customers to resell clothes directly through their platform.
BEDI – Return items for 25% credit toward a new product of equal or similar value.
Arc’teryx – Take-back program offering 20% credit toward new purchases; eligible gear is cleaned and given a second life.
Stores & Collectives With Take-Back Options
Beyond big brands, there are also local and community-driven resale stores across Canada, often offering cash or store credit in exchange for gently used clothing.
Multiple Provinces
Plato’s Closet – Resale-for-credit, franchise model (locations in AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, SK).
Style Encore – Similar model, focused on women’s fashion (AB, MB, ON, SK).
Once Upon a Child – Specializes in children’s clothing resale (AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, SK).
Common Sort – Buys in-season items for cash or credit. (ON, QC)
Montreal
Empire Exchange – Appointment-based, in-store credit or cash for in-season items.
Eva B. – Resale-for-credit model for gently used fashion.
Vancouver
The Main Exchange – Buys in-season clothing for cash or credit.
Collective Will – Consignment, online and in-store.
In Again – Local consignment model.
Halifax
Reiyee Vintage – Buy, sell, and trade system.
The Loot – In-person resale for cash.
Why Take-Back & Resale Programs Matter
These initiatives are more than convenient drop-off points. They’re part of the bigger effort to reshape Canada’s sustainable fashion ecosystem. By keeping clothes in circulation:
Fewer textiles end up in landfills,
The demand for new, resource-intensive clothing is reduced,
Brands are held accountable for the lifecycle of their products,
Communities gain accessible ways to participate in ethical fashion.
They also align with broader goals like textile recycling in Canada, discussions on extended producer responsibility (EPR), and national strategies for reducing fashion’s carbon footprint.
From global retailers to independent shops in Montreal, Vancouver, and Halifax, Canada has a growing network of take-back and resale programs that make it easier for people to engage with fashion more responsibly. Whether you’re returning a pair of lululemon leggings, reselling a vintage coat, or dropping off old denim at Levi’s, these platforms are helping to build a more circular, sustainable fashion system.
Does your brand have a take-back program? Does your shop offer resale options to citizens? Fill in this form to be added to our database!