What troubles me about the fashion industry, as much as I love it and am intrigued by it, is the disposability that it can encourage, with new must-have trends emerging every season. I confess that I am guilty of falling prey to fashion’s lure and as a result, have become a bit of a clothes hoarder. So much so, that many clothes have never been given the opportunity to live to their full sartorial potential. For those who are familiar with my scenario, this is where The Clothing Exchange team can rescue said clothes from captivity and find them the loving homes they deserve.
Kate Luckins, founder of The Clothing Exchange
Founded by Kate Luckins, clothes swapping events began as part of her fashion masters research project into wasteful fashion consumption. Her project has now become a nationwide initiative, with events being held regularly nationwide.
Instead of fuelling demand for new garments to be made, the clothes swapping events encourage people to add new items to their wardrobe in a sustainable way. So when I heard that they were coming to Surry Hills, I had to go along and see how it all worked.
For those who worry that they wont get a fair swap, there is a screening process half an hour before the official swap begins to ensure that daggy tracky dacks stay out. For each item that passes the test, you are given a button that you use to ‘pay’ for something that takes your fancy. I am happy to say my clothes passed the test – phew!
Buttons: The Clothing Exchange currency
An entry fee of $25 gets you a drink pass for the bar and you can swap till your heart’s content i.e. run out of buttons. The clothes that are left over after the swap are donated to The Social Studio, an organisation who train refugees and take excess and recycled material donations and redesign them into new garments.
My lovely shirt with its new owner...if you love it, set it free.
Despite it being a bit of a mad dash at the beginning for the best clothes (and having to change in the janitor’s closet!), I walked away with some pretty decent things. The best thing about it was being able to meet the new owners of my pre-loved clothes. I met this lovely lady who ‘bought’ a shirt that I found in an op shop while I was backpacking in Europe a few years ago.
So if you’re interested in getting rid of some clothes and in the process, meet some lovely people and hear stories about their clothes make sure you hop to the next clothes swapping event!
To find out more information, check out their website here. Word has it, a National Swap Day is coming up in October with hundreds of people coming from all over Australia to swap away!
