Jessica Rennard said she characterizes her career by seeing what others miss. As the founder of NuSource, she created a business that helps resellers and brick-and-mortar stores with secondhand fashion items that are curated in wholesale prices, while cutting down sourcing time and focusing on sustainable practices – something that offers a unique solution for a common problem.
Calling herself The Fashion Disruptor, Rennard said she takes what people deem “trash” and proves it has incredible value. The company takes what brands like Rent the Runway, Quince, Tuckernuck, Naked Wardrobe, Halara (the famous TikTok brand) and Everlane can’t move – like returns, damages and excess – and turns them into gold for the resale market. Items can be new with or without tags that were overstock, retired pieces from big brands or unworn returns from big box stores.
“I wanted to build an engine that delivers that inventory right to their front door, making sourcing easy, affordable and sustainable,” Rennard explained. “[Today] we are proud to support over 7,000 resellers, brands, thrift store owners and live sellers, proving every single day that the future of fashion is circular, profitable and built by people who refuse to follow the rules.”
NuSource sorts, grades and curates everything into mystery boxes, bulk packs and pallets for thousands of independent resellers, live sellers and store owners. To accomplish this, NuSource’s location in Fishtown is capable of handling 65,000 to 80,000 pounds of clothing per day.
NuSource founder Jessica Rennard’s location can handle up to 80,000 pounds of clothing per day
“And we don’t just move product … we move data. Every step of the process, we’re capturing insights that sharpen and empower our customers, and show brands something most of them haven’t figured out yet: The secondhand market isn’t a threat to their business. It’s a customer acquisition machine. We’re the ones connecting those dots,” Rennard said.
Rennard had previously launched a mystery box business in 2019. Then during the pandemic, she realized that thrift stores and resellers were solving the same problem from opposite ends – needing to find consistent, quality inventory along with the time to source and sell – but nobody was building the bridge between them. In 2024, investor Dave Lukrich and his team brought in capital with a focus on customer satisfaction, which turned NuSource into the version it is today.
“I started in nonprofit industry, worked my way through the thrift store trenches and then built a reselling business from the ground up. … It showed me how resale acts as a gateway, allowing people to discover and experiment with brands they might not otherwise buy at full retail price. … I needed to understand the real challenges facing everyday entrepreneurs,” Rennard said. “Now, I love the thrill of the hunt, especially looking for Sandro, Maje and Cinq a sept (my three favorite brands) locally around Philly. I’ve found some of my absolute favorite pieces at spots like Liberty Thrift, Revivals in Ardmore, Plato’s Closet Paoli, Greene Street Consignment and Addictions Studios.”
Rennard said bulk inventory is key because it allows customers to lower their cost per unit, increase their pricing velocity, reduce textile waste and make a sustainable profit. And it doesn’t matter if a person is selling on eBay, Poshmark, Depop or at their own store – NuSource is able to support long-term business goals.
“What really sets us apart, though, is that this isn’t a one-time score. Because we work primarily on contracts with our brand partners, we can offer repeatable, scalable inventory. Our customers aren’t just buying a box; they’re building a sourcing strategy they can count on month after month. …
“We operate at an incredible scale, processing massive volumes every single day. To handle that kind of throughput, we rely heavily on technology. We use intelligent apps and data systems to remove human judgment from the sorting process. Every garment is evaluated for brand, condition and category. We grade strictly, ensuring that our boxes maintain high quality with minimal damages. It’s a fast-moving, high-velocity operation designed to keep inventory flowing and cash moving,” Rennard described.
As a small, female-run company, NuSource has faced its set of challenges – while thriving through success. The key is genuine partnerships, guidance, transparency and solutions.
“The resale and logistics spaces are traditionally male-dominated, and people often underestimate a female leader pushing for aggressive, disruptive change,” Rennard commented. “I’ve had to fight hard to prove that sustainability and high-profit margins can co-exist. But being underestimated is a superpower. It forces you to be sharper, faster and more innovative.”
Supporting small business is another component of NuSource that Rennard is proud of.
“We are the inventory engine for thousands of small businesses. A reseller or boutique owner cannot grow if they spend 40 hours a week digging through thrift racks. By delivering curated, high-quality bulk inventory directly to them, we give them their time back. We allow them to focus on marketing, live selling and customer acquisition. When they win, we win,” she said.
And that’s part of why the big city of Philadelphia provides an appropriate backdrop for a company of this magnitude.
“I’m a Greater Philadelphia local, and I love the grit, hustle and creativity of this area. Fishtown has this incredible energy and it’s full of innovators, artists and small business owners who aren’t afraid to do things differently. Plus, my background with Philadelphia nonprofit The Wardrobe (formerly Career Wardrobe) keeps me deeply tied to the mission of giving back to this city,” Rennard said.
For the summer and fall seasons, there is already a massive demand for high-quality basics and athleisure, according to Rennard.
“Consumers are shifting away from cheap, fast fashion and are moving toward quality over quantity. For summer, our Naked Wardrobe swim and coverup bulk lots are flying out the door. Heading into fall, minimalist essentials from brands like Quince, along with structured, contemporary pieces from Tuckernuck, are the major trends,” she said.
Currently, the only way to shop is via the website – but there are perks. Through the “My Source Rewards” program you get 500 points for signing up, and from there, you earn 1 point for every dollar you spend.
And for true fashion lovers, the affiliate program is a partnership where select shoppers earn a commission on the sales they drive to NuSource.
“It’s perfect for influencers, YouTube creators, and established resellers who want to add a passive revenue stream while helping other sellers find great inventory,” Rennard explained.
For more information, visit https://nusource.io/
