James Reinhart
Co-founder and chief executive of ThredUp
James Reinhart is the co-founder and chief executive of ThredUp, one of the largest online marketplaces for secondhand clothing in the United States. Since founding the company in 2009 he has helped turn resale into a measurable market, notably through ThredUp's annual Resale Report and its resale services for brands and retailers.
| Role | Co-founder and CEO |
|---|---|
| Organisation | ThredUp |
| Founded | 2009 |
| IPO | 2021, Nasdaq |
| Known for | Resale Report, Resale-as-a-Service |
Who is James Reinhart?
James Reinhart co-founded ThredUp in 2009 with Chris Homer and Oliver Lubin and leads the company as chief executive. ThredUp operates an online marketplace for secondhand apparel and accessories, processing items sent in by sellers and reselling them to shoppers, and it provides resale infrastructure to other brands and retailers.
Career
ThredUp began as a way to swap clothing and evolved into a large scale resale platform with its own distribution centres. Over time the company shifted towards consignment: by 2020, consignment accounted for 74 per cent of revenue, according to its IPO filing.
Under Reinhart, ThredUp signed partnerships that brought secondhand goods into mainstream retail, including with Macy's and JCPenney in 2019 and Walmart in 2020. The company went public on Nasdaq in 2021. The same year it acquired Remix, a Bulgarian resale business, to expand in Europe; in December 2024 it divested that European business through a management buyout to focus on the United States, with Reinhart calling it a mutually beneficial outcome for both companies.
In 2026 ThredUp continued to publish its Resale Report and its annual impact report, and in September 2026 announced a live shopping partnership with Whatnot. Reinhart is presented in the company's communications as chief executive and co-founder.
Influence on the fashion business
Reinhart's most visible contribution to the industry is the ThredUp Resale Report, which the company describes as the most comprehensive measure of the secondhand market. It is widely referenced by brands, retailers and media when sizing the resale opportunity. ThredUp also helped popularise the idea that brands can run resale programmes without building the operations themselves.
- Managed resale for consumers who do not want to list items themselves.
- Resale-as-a-Service for brands and retailers.
- Annual market data on secondhand fashion.
James Reinhart and technology
ThredUp's model depends on software and data to process very large volumes of unique, single items, from intake and pricing to photography and listing. Its 2026 partnership with Whatnot extends this into live shopping, allowing customers to buy secondhand items streamed directly from ThredUp's distribution centres.
Why it matters
James Reinhart has helped make secondhand clothing a measurable, investable segment of the fashion market. For brands considering circular models, ThredUp's data and services remain a key point of reference.
Frequently asked questions
Who is James Reinhart?
James Reinhart is the co-founder and chief executive of ThredUp, the US online resale marketplace founded in 2009. He has led the company through its 2021 Nasdaq listing and its later refocus on the United States.
What is the ThredUp Resale Report?
The Resale Report is an annual study published by ThredUp on the size and growth of the secondhand fashion market. It is widely cited by brands, retailers and media when assessing resale.