Second-hand and vintage clothing grades explained
Grading is the universal language of the second-hand textile sector. In this guide we explain the 7 grades we export from Alcoy, with weights, typical contents and recommended destinations.
| Grade | Era | Condition | Typical bale weight | Recommended destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vintage Cream | Vintage (80s–2000s) | Premium, no defects | 100–200 kg | Boutiques, premium e-commerce |
| Vintage A | Vintage (80s–2000s) | No visible defects | 100–250 kg | Vintage shops, mature markets |
| Vintage B | Vintage (80s–2000s) | Light acceptable wear | 200–400 kg | Vintage flea markets, emerging markets |
| Cream | Modern | First selection | 200–450 kg | Regional wholesalers, mass export |
| Grade A | Modern | No defects | 200–500 kg | Physical shops, multi-brand online |
| Grade B | Modern | Light signs of wear | 300–500 kg | Flea markets, price-aggressive markets |
| Grade C | Modern | Moderate wear | 400–500 kg | Textile recycling, very price-aggressive |
Prices are provided on request based on volume, destination and conditions. Request an updated quote via the contact form.
Vintage Cream
Vintage Cream is our highest selection. Each piece is hand-picked from Vintage A bales, applying an additional quality filter that rejects any garment with the slightest stain, wear or faulty seam. The result is a bale made up only of pieces in perfect condition, with recognized brands and styles selected for boutiques and online stores that cannot afford a return.
Vintage Cream typically mixes pieces from the 1980s to 2000s, with emphasis on sportswear brands (Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Carhartt, The North Face), classic denim (Levi's, Wrangler), branded wool sweaters, authentic leather jackets and original graphic t-shirts. Each bale includes a balanced mix of categories so the buyer receives an assortment ready to resell. It is the preferred grade for vintage shops in Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Stockholm and Tokyo.
Due to the cost of manual selection, Vintage Cream is produced in limited quantities. If you need large volume, the best approach is to combine Vintage Cream bales with Vintage A bales to maintain margin. For new customers we offer a first sample order of 50–100 kg to validate quality before committing to a full container.
Vintage A
Vintage A is our best-selling vintage grade. It includes pieces from the 1980s to 2000s, with no visible defects but without the piece-by-piece filtering of Cream. It is the favourite option for established vintage shops that want a wide assortment of brands and styles without paying the Cream premium. Each bale is composed of a mix of categories (sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, jackets, dresses) and brands, with approximately 30–40% recognized brands and the rest white-label or minor brands.
Vintage A is widely used to supply physical vintage shops in France, Germany, Italy and Poland, as well as online sellers on marketplaces like Vintod, Depop or ASOS Marketplace. The typical Vintage A buyer targets wide margins over the per-kg price, meaning a well-selected bale can generate significant revenue for a well-run vintage shop.
We work with minimum orders of 100 kg of Vintage A, although we recommend 200–300 kg for a representative assortment. For full-container clients (approx. 8,000–10,000 kg) we can dedicate a specific sorter and tailor the mix to the destination market's preferences (more sportswear for Poland, more denim for Germany, more dresses for Italy, etc.).
Vintage B
Vintage B includes vintage pieces with an acceptable level of wear or small cosmetic defect (a light stain, a seam to repair, cuff wear). They are perfectly resaleable in vintage markets, flea markets and emerging Eastern European markets, where the end customer values price over perfection. Many of these pieces are easily restored with a professional wash or small repair.
Vintage B is ideal for wholesalers supplying weekly flea markets, as the low cost per kilo allows selling pieces at aggressive price to the end consumer while maintaining a healthy margin. It also works very well in African and Asian markets when combined with modern Grade B to balance the bale.
We produce Vintage B in 25–50 kg sacks and 200–400 kg bales. The large bale is the most economical per-kilo option, as it reduces handling and transport costs. For very price-sensitive markets we can prepare mixed pallets of Vintage B + Grade B that maintain vintage appeal while further reducing the average cost per bale.
Cream
Cream is the first selection of modern clothing (recent seasons, not vintage). It is called "cream" because it is the "cream" of modern used clothing: no defects, no stains, no wear. Each piece meets the same standard as Vintage Cream but applied to contemporary clothing. It is the preferred grade for regional wholesalers selling to modern second-hand shops and online retailers who want to offer "like-new clothing" without the vintage premium.
Cream includes a brand mix: approximately 30–40% recognized brands (Zara, H&M, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho), the rest white-label and retail brands. The category mix can be tailored: more women, more men, more kids, more sport, depending on destination. For clients buying 1,000 kg or more we can prepare bales with a specific profile (e.g. 80% women + 20% men for a specific market).
Cream pricing remains fairly stable throughout the year, with small increases in autumn (when European demand for sweaters and coats rises) and spring (when dress and t-shirt demand rises). We recommend clients plan orders 4–6 weeks ahead for these demand peaks.
Grade A
Grade A is the modern category with no visible defects, ready to resell in shop. Unlike Cream, Grade A does not apply a specific brand filter: it can include any brand, including white-label and retail brands. It is the most common format for modern second-hand physical shops, as it offers the best quality/price ratio for a wide assortment.
Grade A is mainly sold in 200–500 kg bales and is the grade we move in highest volume. For full containers (8,000–10,000 kg) Grade A is the most requested option because it combines good quality with competitive pricing. Many European wholesalers in Poland, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic base their business on Grade A bales, reselling to neighbourhood shops and weekly markets.
For new clients wanting to test before committing to a large order, we offer 25–50 kg sample sacks of Grade A. The client pays only the bale cost plus shipping, and can evaluate quality in their market before placing a larger order. This sample policy is one of the reasons many European wholesalers trust Spanish suppliers: the transparency of the grading process.
Grade B
Grade B allows light signs of wear: a small stain that does not affect use, cuff wear, a seam to reinforce. These are perfectly valid pieces for flea market sale, neighbourhood shops with price-sensitive customers and second-hand markets in rural areas. Grade B is the workhorse of Spanish, French and Italian flea markets, and of many emerging Eastern European markets.
Grade B is sold in 300–500 kg bales and the per-kilo price is significantly lower than Grade A. For wholesalers supplying flea market chains, Grade B allows maintaining an aggressive final price without sacrificing margin. It is common to combine Grade A and Grade B bales in the same container to have a price-tiered assortment.
A very popular Grade B variant is "Grade B mixed summer" or "Grade B mixed winter", where the bale contains only seasonal categories. This is especially useful for markets with marked seasons (Nordic countries, continental Eastern Europe), where a mixed bale could generate dead stock for 6 months.
Grade C
Grade C includes pieces with moderate wear or defects that make them less suitable for direct resale, but perfect for textile recycling, restoration or very price-aggressive markets. Many of these pieces go to recycling companies that turn them into industrial rags, recovered fibres or insulation material. In the Valencia Region there are companies specialised in this type of textile recycling, closing the circular economy loop.
Grade C is the most economical per-kilo category and is normally sold in 400–500 kg bales. For clients running recycling plants or with municipal contracts for textile waste management, Grade C is an essential raw material. It is also exported to countries with a secondary market for very damaged clothing for non-apparel uses (rags, packaging, filling).
From an environmental perspective, Grade C prevents tons of clothing from ending up in landfills. According to data from Koopera's RESURGE project (supported by the Valencian Innovation Agency), each ton of recovered clothing avoids the emission of several tonnes of CO₂ equivalent and saves thousands of litres of water. Buying Grade C for recycling is not just business, it is a responsible environmental decision.
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