One of the best behavioral changes you can make in an effort to be more sustainable is to consume less. But if you do decide you need an item, I recommend trying to purchase it second hand (also known as “thrifting”). By purchasing an item second hand instead of new, you are making a huge positive impact on the environment. You are not contributing to the extraction of resources for that item, the transportation to it’s manufacturing location, and then the transportation to the sale location.
If you are someone who loves clothes, and loves having something new to wear, I recommend hosting a clothing swap. I fell in love with clothing swaps after a friend of mine hosted one last year (thanks, Elizabeth!).
What is a clothing swap?
A clothing swap is an event wherein participants exchange their valued but no longer used clothing for clothing they will use. A clothing swaps is a great way to update your wardrobe and find homes for those items you are no longer loving.
How do I prepare for a clothing swap?
I suggest starting by looking at your closet. I like to use a little trick that I learned from an online style blog where I put a hanger with a handkerchief at one end of my closet. As I work my way through the clothes in my closet, I put all the items I wear in front of the handkerchief. When I get to those items way at the back, I often find that I’m not wearing them because they don’t fit me anymore or I’ve outgrown the style. I put those aside in a “clothing swap” pile.
Who do I invite to my Clothing Swap?
Invite a variety of people, in all shapes and sizes, but try to have a few people in each size category so that everyone invited has several items to chose from. If you have someone coming that is the lone person in their size, don’t worry too much because people usually bring accessories, shoes, and jewelry.
When should I notify guests?
I like to send a “Save the Date” email a few months before a change of the season, so that everyone has time to go through their closet and/or replicate the handkerchief trick. Then I send out a casual email invitation a few weeks prior to the date.
Your email can be as simple as this one:
Hi Everyone!
Hooray! So much fun. I’ve helped host a general swap that included some clothing, but it sounds like a purely clothing one would be great, too.
It is really fun!