How to Sell a Damaged Bikini

A damaged bikini is still worth selling — typically £2 to £7 at For Parts, against £6 to £28 undamaged.

Can you sell a bikini that is damaged?

Yes. Damaged stock has its own buyers: people who repair and restore, people who want the material rather than the object, and people who want a cheaper one and do not mind a flaw. Nobody should be surprised when it arrives.

The damage buyers look for on bikinis

These are the flaws that move a bikini down the grades, and the ones a buyer will check first:

Missing hygiene liners
Chlorine damage showing as thinning
Slack elastic and stretched straps
Split sets sold as singles

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £3 to £13. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £2 to £7. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the flaw properly rather than guessing at it:

Confirm the hygiene liner is present and state it
Stretch the elastic and check recovery
Hold the fabric to the light for thinning

Photographing the flaw

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

Both pieces laid flat together, front
The reverse of both pieces
The hygiene liner in the bottoms
Labels with sizes and composition, plus any fade, pilling, snag or stretched elastic

What to state in the listing

Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged bikinis want these confirmed:

Size of each piece, and underband and hip measured flat
Style of top and bottom
Whether the hygiene liner is present, and whether pads are included
Elastic condition, fading and any chlorine damage

Brand, sizes and style: “Seafolly Bikini, Top 12 Bottom 10, Triangle”. Top and bottom sizes are often different and stating both saves a message. Style names — triangle, bandeau, high waisted — are all real searches.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“Is the hygiene liner still in?”

Check and confirm. It is the first thing buyers of second-hand swimwear ask about and its absence puts many off entirely.

“Has it faded?”

Photograph in daylight. Chlorine and sun fade swimwear noticeably and colour is where disappointment usually comes from.

“Do the pieces match in size?”

Say both sizes plainly. Mixed-size sets are completely normal and often exactly what a buyer wants, but it must be stated.

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where it is cheap and visibly well done — a clumsy repair costs more than the flaw it hides. What lifts the price:

Hygiene liners intact on bottoms
Elastic still firm in straps and legs
Recognised swim and resort brands
Matching sets sold together

If the work would cost more than the gap between £7 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Sharply seasonal, from April to July with a small winter-holiday window in December. Out of season it will barely be seen, so hold it until spring.

Getting it to the buyer

The cheapest thing on the site to post. Wash it, say so, and send it in a clean sealed bag inside the envelope — presentation matters disproportionately for swimwear.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full bikini selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell a damaged bikini?

Yes. A damaged bikini typically is worth £2 to £7 against £6 to £28 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Missing hygiene liners

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is hygiene liners intact on bottoms — a repair that draws attention to the flaw can leave you worse off.

How should I describe the damage?

Precisely, with a photograph of the flaw itself. Check and confirm. It is the first thing buyers of second-hand swimwear ask about and its absence puts many off entirely. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.