Megan, one of the original members of the Drexel University Environmental Sustainability Community kindly accepted to share the know-how she acquired organizing two consecutive clothing swaps.
For more information on the Drexel U. Environmental Sustainability Community, see:
- Post # 1:How the Drexel U. ESC Came About?,
- Post #2: The Leader/Facilitator,
- Post #3: The Dumpster Diver,
- Post #4: The Efficient Organizer and
- Post #5: The Unexpected Environmentalist.
How to organize a Clothing Swap.
What’s that?
A clothing swap is an event at which people bring old clothes they no longer want and swap them for “new” clothes that other folks have brought. Rather than trading with one person, it’s more like trading with the collective pile of clothing brought by everyone.
Why?
- Clothing swaps are fun
- Clothing swaps allow you to get rid of clothes you no longer want without throwing them away
- Clothing swaps allow you to refresh your own wardrobe
- You’re recycling
- Any left over clothing can be donated
On to the steps
Step 1:
Who?
Decide who will attend your clothing swap. How many people will there be? Make sure everyone invited will be able to find something there that will fit him or her. (If your swap is open to the public, this might take care of itself because of the number of people in attendance.)
Step 2:
Where? Based on the number of people attending your swap, pick a location. If it’s just you and your friends, a house will do. However, if you’re making this a larger event, say, for your entire campus, town, or city, you’re going to need a bigger space. Outside is always a great option (if it’s a nice day). Otherwise, look into places that will allow an event like this.
Step 3:
Dress it up. Music is always nice. If you’re on campus, check to see if your college or university has a radio station that would be willing to DJ your event. If you’re home, you can be DJ. Refreshments are also great, depending on the size of your guest list. Keep in mind special diets!
Step 4:
Advertise. Now that you’ve got all of your details worked out, you can spread the word. Make a Facebook event, distribute fliers, send invitations. Just get the word out!
Other tips:
- Make sure you have your swapping guidelines decided on and posted at the swap to avoid confusion for guests.
- In my experience, no one goes too crazy taking everything they can get their hands on after adding only one item to the pile, so I haven’t found the need to set a limit.
- Make sure you have enough folks manning the swapping tables, keeping the clothes somewhat organized and the swappers swapping politely
A Challenge from PhillyEcoCity:
I noticed that most of the Clothing Swap I have seen are organized by women for women. True, women clothing and shoes are generally much cheaper than men’s and it is a fact that women buy more clothes than guys. One more reason for men to looks for less expensive ways to diversify their wardrobe. So why not organizing a clothing swap for guys???
That would be new.
