How to Sell Damaged Swimwear

Damaged swimwear is still worth selling — typically £2 to £9 at For Parts, against £8 to £35 undamaged.

Can you sell swimwear 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 swimwear

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

Missing hygiene liners
Chlorine damage showing as thinning and fading
Stretched, slack elastic
Pilling on the seat from pool surfaces

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £4 to £16. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £2 to £9. 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 say so
Stretch the elastic and check it recovers
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:

Laid flat, front, whole garment
The hygiene liner, showing it is intact
The elastic at legs and back
The size tag, plus any thinning, bobbling or mark

What to state in the listing

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

Style, brand and size, with the cup size for bikini tops
Whether the hygiene liner is present and intact
Whether padding is included and removable
Elastic condition and any chlorine damage or thinning

Style, brand and size: “High Waisted Bikini Set, Size 12, Hygiene Liner Intact”. Saying the liner is intact is unusual and directly addresses the buyer’s hesitation. State whether padding is removable and included.

What buyers will ask

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

“Is the hygiene liner still there?”

Check and confirm explicitly. It is the question behind every used swimwear purchase and answering it up front is what makes the sale.

“Has it been worn in chlorine?”

Say honestly. Chlorine thins and fades swim fabric, and buyers can usually tell once it arrives.

“Is the padding included?”

Check the cups. Removable pads go missing in the wash and their absence should 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 with no sagging
Recognised swim and resort brands
Unfaded fabric with no chlorine damage

If the work would cost more than the gap between £9 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Sharply seasonal, April to August, with a small winter-holiday lift. Off-season listings sell slowly.

Getting it to the buyer

Tiny and very cheap to post.

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 swimwear selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged swimwear?

Yes. Damaged swimwear typically is worth £2 to £9 against £8 to £35 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 explicitly. It is the question behind every used swimwear purchase and answering it up front is what makes the sale. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.