With Clothing Swap App Bonnee, Update Your Closet Sustainably and Share Your Fit Pics

Swapping clothing is a great way to keep your closet fresh without hemorrhaging cash. Bonnee, a new clothing swap app, lets users revamp their wardrobes by unloading the clothes they no longer wear and passing them along to someone else.

"Fashion is the second largest polluter on the planet. There has to be a better way to still look stylish but be sustainable and help out the planet," says Maritza Sanchez Schubert, the cofounder of Bonnee. She launched the self-funded venture a few months ago with her sister, Vanessa Sanchez, and longtime friend, Meredith Vey. "You can find clothes for your new aesthetic without breaking the bank," she adds.

Other resale platforms like Depop and Poshmark inspired the endeavor. "We all love fashion, and we've been thrifting and swapping amongst ourselves, and we thought, you know, there is such an opportunity to bring this to a greater group," Vanessa says. Last year, Bonnee won the Finn Take pitch competition hosted by the Idea Center at Miami Dade College and participated in eMerge Americas' startup showcase, allowing the women to work with focus groups and meet mentors. (Bonnee will return to eMerge Americas at the Miami Beach Convention Center April 18-19.)

Despite the app's South Florida roots, Maritza and Vanessa got inspiration across the pond while visiting the UK for the Spice Girl's 2019 reunion tour. In Edinburgh, they came across the Scottish word "bonnee," which means "pretty" or "beautiful." A gender-inclusive term, anyone can be bonnee.

So, how does Bonnee work? On the app, users can post items in good shape and receive credit toward another item. Affordability was at the top of Bonnee's list of priorities — the user pays for the shipping costs and a $2.98 service fee. To make it easy for swappers, the app creates the shipping label.

"You don't have to worry about paying markup," Maritza says. "We're bringing this to everyone, regardless of income or location, your size or gender. We want to make it a really welcoming community and space — not just online, but offline, too."

Bonnee hosts in-person swap events in South Florida, popping up at flea markets like Angels Only at Jolt Radio in Allapattah and universities like Florida Atlantic University, Miami Dade College, and Florida International University. At these events, people can also drop off clothing for Bonnee to post and receive credit.

With Gen Z perpetually online and comfortable buying secondhand, Bonnee is tailor-made for this generation. "Gen Z loves to thrift," Vanessa observes. "Even when they travel, they add thrifting to their itineraries. When you ask what they're into, they say Y2K and graphic tees."

Eschewing traditional print media, Vanessa says Gen Z is getting its fashion inspo mainly from celebrities and influencers on TikTok and Pinterest. Bonnee hopes to follow in those digital footsteps while creating a community with a feature that allows users to share fit pics for their outfit of the day or #OOTD.

"We want it to be a place where people can share their fashion, get inspired," Maritza says. "I love taking photos of my outfits of the day, but I feel silly posting on Instagram, so I would send them to Vanessa or friends. I was like, there's got to be a place where we can post this where other fashion lovers can appreciate it."

According to Maritza, the average person has more than 148 pieces of clothing in their closets. That's why Bonnee also has a closet cataloguing option to help you get organized.

Regarding their looks, Vanessa says she loves oversized men's blazers and sneakers. Maritza says her look is a bit more versatile. She's given up wearing heels at work, and now her look depends on her mood, whether Scandinavian minimalism or boho Californian.

"We refer to Maritza as our chief fashion officer," Vanessa says, laughing.

Bonnee is available on the App Store and Google Play; bonnee.co.