Franopolis
    vsLE

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Clothes Bin vs Learning Express

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Clothes Bin2026 FDDLELearning Express2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Clothes Bin

    $168,940 – $227,380

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31

    Learning Express

    $25,375 – $387,514

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Clothes Bin

    $49,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Learning Express

    $7,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Royalty · Item 6

    Clothes Bin

    $120 weekly

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Learning Express

    $1,500

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Learning Express discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Clothes Bin: 3, Learning Express: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Clothes Bin

    $168,940 – $227,380
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31

    Learning Express

    $25,375 – $387,514
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Clothes Bin

    $49,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Learning Express

    $7,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Clothes Bin

    $120 weekly
    Continuing Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Learning Express

    $1,500
    Royalty minimum monthly
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Clothes Bin

    $0.00
    National Marketing Fund Fee — per Bin per week
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Learning Express

    1%
    Advertising contribution — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Clothes Bin

    99
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65

    Learning Express

    86
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 36
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Clothes Bin

    +56
    Calculated: 43 at end of 2023 → 99 at end of 2025

    Learning Express

    −4
    Calculated: 90 at end of 2022 → 86 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Clothes Bin

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Learning Express

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Clothes Bin

    January 2015
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

    Learning Express

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Clothes Bin

    Formed in December 2014
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 9

    Learning Express

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Clothes Bin
    Franchised (38 franchisees) — other measures — 38 reporting franchisees
    467,012 pounds
    mean Pounds Collected in 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 63
    Franchised (38 franchisees) — other measures — 38 reporting Franchisees’ Bin Locations in operation during 2025
    44 Bin Locations
    mean Annual Number of Total Bin Locations
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 62
    Franchised (48 locations) — other measures
    $0.43 per pound
    mean Price per Pound Sold through Franchisor’s National Buyer Program
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 62
    LELearning Express
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Learning Express stores open at least one full year and comparable in size/scop…
    84 stores
    other Reported stores
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 34
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Learning Express stores open at least one full year and comparable in size/scop…
    $1,081,417
    other Sales 2022
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Learning Express stores open at least one full year and comparable in size/scop…
    83 stores
    other Stores sample count 2023
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Clothes Bin vs Learning Express: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Clothes Bin or Learning Express?
    Clothes Bin: $168,940 – $227,380 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31); Learning Express: $25,375 – $387,514 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Learning Express. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Clothes Bin and Learning Express royalties compare?
    Clothes Bin: $120 weekly (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); Learning Express: $1,500 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Clothes Bin or Learning Express?
    Clothes Bin: 99 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65); Learning Express: 86 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 36). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Clothes Bin and Learning Express disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Clothes Bin has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups; Learning Express has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Clothes Bin report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    LE

    Full Learning Express report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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