The Hidden Cost of Washing Vintage Clothing — And How to Eliminate It

By Myles, Founder of The Hub Vintage Wholesale

Running a successful vintage business — whether you're selling on Depop, eBay, Whatnot, or through your own online or physical store — comes with plenty of exciting challenges. You’re sourcing great pieces, you’re making consistent sales, and things are growing fast.

But at some point, every reseller hits a wall and asks:
“How do I level up without burning out?”

Spoiler alert: it’s not always about sourcing cheaper or shipping faster. One of the most overlooked areas that’s quietly draining your time and profits?

Washing your stock.

Why Washing Is Slowing You Down

Let’s be honest — most of us have accepted washing as “just part of the job.” But when you break it down, it becomes obvious how costly it really is.

Take a look at the numbers:

Example: 50 Branded Sweatshirts

  • 4 Loads of Laundry
    Each load costs around £1.15 in electricity, water, and detergent.
    → That’s £4.60 just in utilities.

  • 5 Hours of Time
    Let’s say you pay yourself minimum wage (£11.20/hr).
    → That’s £56 in labor.

Total: £60.60 per box.
Do this once a month? That’s £712.20/year.

Now imagine you’re scaling up to 5 boxes a month — something most Whatnot sellers or small shops can easily do. You’re suddenly spending:

  • £3,636/year

  • 300 hours/year washing and folding

That’s 300 hours you could spend listing, marketing, or, you know, having a life.

Our Solution: Let Us Handle the Washing

We realized this was a massive pain point for sellers. So we built a solution:
A full-scale professional washing and packing system, integrated directly with our suppliers abroad.

Here's how it works:

  • Stock is washed and dried at source

  • Packed in cardboard boxes with silica pouches (to keep moisture out)

  • Shipped to us, then straight to you

  • Ready to sell the moment you open the box

No waiting. No folding. No washing machine juggling. Just fresh, clean, crease-minimized vintage, ready to list or hang in your store.

The Results: Vintage That's Clean, Crisp & Customer-Ready

We want every box you receive from us to be ready to go — whether you're setting up a market stall, streaming live sales, or shipping straight to your customers.

Here’s what you can expect:

  • Clean garments (Not lavender fresh but clean)

  • Folded, packed stock that looks presentable right out of the box

  • Minimal stain issues — and when needed, a couple of pieces might just need a quick personal touch up.

It’s all about saving you time, money, and stress.

Try It Yourself — Or See It in Person

Still unsure? No problem.

We invite you to come by our warehouse and inspect the washed stock yourself. Smell it. Unfold it. Check for stains. You’ll see the difference.

Or, if you're ready to make your life easier today, hit the links below to check out our washed vintage boxes — and make your next sourcing experience the smoothest one yet.

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