Swap till you drop

by Jo-ann Hodgson in At home on 05.06.08

Free clothes and an excuse for a party. Clothes swapping is my new favourite thing.

According to DEFRA, the UK generates approximately 1.5 to 2million tonnes of clothing waste every year, with 63% of this entering the household waste stream and ending up in landfill.

This makes me sad. Not just because of the obvious environmental effect of dumping man-made textiles, but because clothes are nice and deserve to be given a second lease of life.

After hearing of the success and excitement created by a local clothes swapping event, based on an American concept, I suggested to a friend that we hold our own. When I say ‘we’, I mean her. My contribution was to invite one person and turn up at her flat with wine, a bin bag full of clothes and an appetite for free pretty things.

As a host she did a good job, providing crisps, dips and wine – she even managed to persuade her fiancé that having a load of women in his flat, high on the love of clothes, wasn’t so bad.

Indeed he soon perked up after popping his head round the door and finding his front room transformed into a ladies’ changing area.

Now it seemed those attending and contributing to the party had read ‘clothes’ as ‘any old stuff you want out of your house a.s.a.p.’. Among the more exceptional items to pepper the swap pile were books of erotic fiction and confusing unworn bedroom attire. But to be fair, many unlikely rejects found new homes. And as well as a dress, three jumpers, a summer top, a pair of shoes, a cuddly toy – okay, not really – and a skirt, I picked up a complete bed set including sheet, duvet cover and pillow cases. They’re brown and orange, they’re nice, really… very Seventies. 

Obviously there were a few bits of clothing people were desperate to get rid of for good reason – because they couldn’t remember why on earth they’d bought such a hideous item. One or two choice pieces had shrunk to a size zero in the wash, and some were definitely pregnancy-wear.  But one woman’s trash is another’s treasure, so all leftovers were bagged up to be taken to a charity shop.

Also, a number of my questionably patterned tops – I like the Sixties and Seventies, alright? – were snapped up by one of the more creative guests to be turned into pants and sold on.

So in conclusion, clothes swapping = a very good idea.

IMAGE by Flickr user geishaboy500