the Carousel manifesto

We aren’t just selling secondhand children’s clothing. We are here to keep quality garments out of landfills by building a circular system that makes sustainability feel less like work and more like a win for your family.

the status quo

The system is broken. Too many new styles are produced annually, and we are currently facing a global waste crisis.

• The Scale of Waste: In the U.S. alone, we generate over 17 million tons of textile waste annually.
• The Individual Impact: The average American throws away approximately 81 pounds of clothing every year.
• The Domestic Reality: Nearly 85% of all textiles end up in landfills, even though most are recyclable or reusable.

Most families want to take the sustainable route, but it often feels complicated, time-consuming and inconvenient. Our goal is to change that, making the planet-friendly choice the easiest one on your to-do list.

why circularity isn't the default (yet)

Given how quickly children grow and seasons change, their clothing is the perfect candidate for a circular economy—yet the infrastructure hasn't kept up. When we built Carousel, we looked at the two biggest barriers parents face:

1. the time poverty gap

The younger the children, the faster the clothing piles up—and the less time parents have to manage the "inflow and outflow." In a modern world where the "village" is often missing and parents are working full-time, spending hours photographing and listing dozens of items just isn't realistic.

2. the value paradox

Children’s clothing is relatively inexpensive and plentiful, which makes traditional resale difficult. That nearly-new Gap hoodie? It cost $25 new, and consignment shops are already overflowing with them. That organic cotton set? Thousands more are already in production. This cycle of overproduction devalues the clothes we already own. We want to replace that cycle of waste with something "new-to-you" that actually carries value.

the gaps in existing offerings

While other options exist, they often fall short of a parent's needs:

• resale sites and apps: Take immense time and rarely yield a fair return for the labor involved.
• hand-me-downs: great in theory—and absolute magic when they do work—but finding a friend who needs your specific size, season, and style at the exact moment you're clearing it out is a logistical puzzle.
• donation bins: A lovely notion, but many "donations" are sold overseas in bulk, eventually contributing to the waste crisis in the Global South.

the Carousel alternative

There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution, but Carousel offers a new path for families who value style, sustainability, and leaving a legacy that doesn't involve their children’s clothing ending up in a landfill.

curated buying

Every new season requires a wardrobe shift. Our capsules are engineered to add something special to these transitions while saving you from hours of browsing racks or scrolling feeds. We offer curated boxes of pre-loved clothing, styled to your taste and delivered in excellent condition. Take a look at our mini capsule or baby capsule.

frictionless trading

For those staring at piles of outgrown clothes, we’ve removed the friction. Whether you are in NYC and need local pickup or drop-off, or you’re anywhere else in the U.S. and need a prepaid mail-in label, we make it simple.

Our trade-in program stands apart because we accept gently used styles from a wide range of brands year-round—not just what’s "in season" for the retail market. We also maintain a rigorous internal sorting process to ensure that every item we touch reaches its next best life.