How to Sell Damaged Chinos

Damaged chinos are still worth selling — typically £2 to £10 at For Parts, against £10 to £38 undamaged.

Can you sell chinos that are 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 chinos

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

Permanent knee bagging that will not press out
Shine on the seat from wear
Fraying at the hem from dragging
Thin fast-fashion twill

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £4 to £17. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £2 to £10. 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:

Hold them up and check whether the knees have set
Look at the seat in daylight for shine
Measure the waist and inseam flat

Photographing the flaw

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

The chinos flat, front, whole
The waistband with a tape measure across it
The inside leg measured from crotch to hem
The label with size and composition, plus the seat, hems and any mark or thinning

What to state in the listing

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

Waist and inside leg measured on the garment
Label size, and fit name if the brand uses one
Fabric composition, and whether they have any stretch
Whether the hems are original or have been altered

Brand, waist and leg: “Dockers Chinos, W34 L32, Stone, Slim Fit”. Waist and leg together are the search. Fit name matters because slim, straight and relaxed differ enough that the same waist size fits quite differently.

What buyers will ask

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

“What are the actual measurements?”

Measure and give both waist and inside leg. Labelled sizes drift between brands and after washing, so the measurement is the answer that works.

“Have they been taken up?”

Check the hem for an alteration line and say. A shortened inside leg makes them useless to a taller buyer and it is not always obvious in a photograph.

“Is there any wear in the seat?”

Hold them to the light and look. Thinning fabric shows up immediately that way and is worth disclosing before it becomes a complaint.

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:

Heavyweight cotton twill with real substance
Recognised heritage and workwear labels
Clean, uncreased knees
Unaltered hems with the original length

If the work would cost more than the gap between £10 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Steady year round with a lift in spring and September. Recognised brands sell within a fortnight; unbranded chinos do better bundled by size.

Getting it to the buyer

Cheap and easy to post. Fold along the crease so they arrive presentable.

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

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged chinos?

Yes. Damaged chinos typically are worth £2 to £10 against £10 to £38 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Permanent knee bagging that will not press out

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is heavyweight cotton twill with real substance — 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. Measure and give both waist and inside leg. Labelled sizes drift between brands and after washing, so the measurement is the answer that works. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.