Green Is the New Black This Holiday Season; The Largest Online Store for Pre-Owned Merchandise Invites Sustainably-Conscious Shoppers to Opt out of Black Friday and Into the Swap.com Green Friday Event

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - November 15, 2016) - The apparel industry accounts for 10 percent of global carbon emissions and remains the second largest industrial polluter, second only to oil. In the United States, 85 percent of discarded clothing ends up in the trash and buried in landfills every year-more than 12 million tons-with the average individual throwing away 70 pounds of textiles, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With one of the busiest shopping days of the year rapidly approaching, Swap.com -- the largest online pre-owned store for women, men and children -- is raising awareness of the importance of reducing waste and taking action by inviting consumers to sit out Black Friday and join the Swap.com Green Friday Event on November 26, 2016. To participate, conscientious shoppers are encouraged to RSVP "GOING" on Facebook now through midnight on November 26, 2016.

For every person who RSVPs "GOING" to the Green Friday Event, Swap.com will donate one article of clothing from its inventory, up to $100,000 worth, to Chicago-based Cradle to Crayons, an organization that provides children that are homeless or living in poverty with the essentials they need to thrive.

As an alternative to fighting the cold and crowds to shop Black Friday, the Swap.com Green Friday Event encourages consumers to help reduce waste by promoting re-use. Making the choice to purchase pre-owned and recycled items over brand new this holiday season -- especially on one of the busiest shopping days of the year -- will help reduce what might have otherwise been dumped into landfills.

"The clothing we wear has an enormous impact on the planet," said CEO and Co-Founder of Swap.com, Juha Koponen. "As a business, we believe we have a corporate responsibility to reduce waste and promote a sustainable alternative to buying brand new merchandise. With a staggering amount of unused, pre-owned merchandise, there is no need to throw away clothes and toys that can be reused and enjoyed by someone else."

With an inventory of 1.5 million unique items from clothing to sporting goods and toys, Swap.com has solidified its footprint in the retail market as the largest single provider of pre-owned merchandise online. While there are other e-commerce marketplaces for pre-owned goods online, Swap.com has simplified the entire process for buyers and sellers with its proprietary technology. Sellers simply have to print out a pre-paid label, pack their box and send it to Swap.com. From there, the company handles everything from merchandising to marketing and posting online. Shoppers can buy confidently knowing they are getting quality merchandise because each item at Swap.com is carefully inspected and evaluated prior to being posted to the website.

"We believe we have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the world," continued Koponen. "At Swap.com, we are changing the way people shop and raising consumer consciousness. And while even we recognize there is room for improvement in our own business and industry for greener practices, we are committed to reducing waste and continue to look for ways to decrease our carbon footprint. In fact, Swap.com has sold millions of pre-owned items -- since going live in 2012 -- which would have generated 61,000 tons of greenhouse emissions (CO2) had they been produced new instead of re-used.

About Swap.com
Swap.com is the largest online consignment shop with more than 1.5 million unique items. The company strives to redefine consignment services by making the process of buying and selling pre-owned goods more convenient, safe, and profitable. Preventing waste by saving pre-owned clothes and accessories from ending up in landfills, shoppers can feel good about the purchases they make on Swap.com. Breathing new life into secondhand clothes, accessories, toys and games for babies, children, women and men, Swap.com is a one-shop stop the whole family can enjoy. Swap.com is based in Chicago and Bolingbrook, Illinois. The service was launched in 2012.