National Consignment Day

What is National Consignment Day and when is it observed? It is celebrated each year on the first Monday in October, in 2025 it falls on October 6.

National Consignment Day is about encouraging people to give items a second life by consigning what they no longer use or buying secondhand, promoting sustainability, reducing waste, and supporting mindful consumption.

History of National Consignment Day

National Consignment Day is a relatively recent observance. It was introduced in 2017, and is generally credited to The RealReal, a luxury consignment company, as a way to shine a light on the benefits of resale, sustainable fashion, and reducing waste in the apparel industry.

The idea behind the day is to promote consignment as a smart alternative to both throwing things away and buying new. Over time, the concept of consignment (selling gently used items through a store or platform that handles marketing, sales, and distribution) had grown alongside thrift shops and secondhand markets. The holiday seeks to leverage that tradition to encourage more people to consign, reuse, recycle, and rethink consumer habits.

Why is National Consignment Day important?

It’s easy to think of clothes, shoes, furniture or accessories as disposable objects, but every time we consign or buy secondhand we challenge that mindset. National Consignment Day invites us to consider the life cycle of objects: how they are made, how long they are used, and where they might go next. The holiday reminds us that sustainability is not just about big gestures but small choices — passing along things we no longer need can reduce waste, conserve materials, and slow down the cycle of overproduction.

Beyond environmental concerns, this day highlights economic and social benefits: consigning allows people to recoup value from items they no longer use, and for buyers, resale opens access to quality goods at lower prices. It’s also a nudge to support local consignment and resale shops, which often invest directly in community economies and keep dollars circulating locally rather than in distant supply chains.

Here are some of the key values the day emphasizes

• It promotes reuse over waste
• It encourages smarter consumption
• It allows people to monetize unused goods
• It gives buyers access to more affordable goods
• It supports local consignment and resale businesses

How to Celebrate National Consignment Day

One simple approach: take an honest look in your closets, drawers, and around your home. See what items are still in good condition but don’t serve you anymore — clothes, shoes, accessories, maybe even furniture or decor. Rather than tossing them or letting them sit unused, consider consigning them. This could be to a local consignment shop, an online resale platform, or a specialty consignment service. You’re giving those items a chance at a second life, and someone else might appreciate them as much as you once did.

On the flip side, if you enjoy shopping, use the day as an excuse to explore consignment stores or resale platforms. Visit local shops you’ve never checked out, try on something you wouldn’t usually, or ask the store owners about the consignment process (how they price, how long items sit, how you can consign your own). You might discover something unique, and you’ll become more acquainted with the practices behind circular economy models.

Here are a few simple ideas you could try

• Gather several items you no longer use and bring them to a consignment shop for evaluation
• Plan a trip to a local consignment store and browse with fresh eyes
• Invite friends over for a “swap & consign” session — each brings items and you help each other decide what to consign
• Share on social media the concept and your own consigning or shopping finds with #NationalConsignmentDay to inspire others
• Research online consignment platforms in your region and set up an account to consign more items in the future

National Consignment Day Dates Table