Clothes Swaps
Clothes are an essential part of life, protecting us from the elements and keeping us warm. Our choice of clothing can also be a form of self-expression, style and empowerment. Large amounts of raw materials, resources and energy are used to make and transport clothes. Most people have good quality clothes in their wardrobes they no longer wear or want. These clothes should not become waste. Dublin City Council supports the circular economy principle. A circular fashion industry designs clothes that can be kept in use at their highest value for as long as possible.
What is a Clothes Swap?
Clothes Swaps offer an opportunity for good clothes to have longer useful lives. A clothes swap is a party or event were people bring the clothes they no longer wear and exchange them for clothes they will use. Clothes swaps offers a way to find new styles in a sustainable way.
Reasons for a Clothes Swap
- For the environment: organising or attending a clothes swap is a positive environmental action. Many of the clothes we don’t want to wear anymore are still in a good condition. Swapping clothes keeps these clothes in use for longer and stops good clothes going to waste. This will save water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen negative environmental impacts.
- For people: people can update their wardrobes at a clothes swap without spending a fortune. Clothes swaps also provide an opportunity for a community to come together socially or even raise money for a good cause.
- For the gift of style: everyone gets bored of wearing the same thing again and again. Clothes swapping is a fun and easy way to find something new to wear.
How to Organise a Clothes Swap
The How to Organise a Clothes Swap guide suggests steps, tips and information needed to plan a successful swap event. The guide can be viewed or downloaded directly using the link below.
Dublin City Council’s Clothes Swap Kit
Dublin City Council have created a Clothes Swap Kit to support community groups who wish to host a clothes swap. The kit includes the guide book outlining how to run a clothes swap and the equipment (clothes rails, hangers, safety mirror etc.) you might need. The Clothes Swap Kit can be borrowed directly from Dublin City Council. The Clothes Swap Kit is a pilot waste prevention project that aims to raise awareness of clothing waste and encourage informal voluntary swaps at a local level.
For more information about borrowing the Clothes Swap Kit from Dublin City Council, please email Waste Management Services at [email protected].
Further resources