One of the most environmentally-friendly methods to get rid of and acquire new clothes has got to be the clothing swap. A clothing swap consists of:
a) A group of people of any size (works best with more than four people).
b) A pile of clothes you are ready to part with.
c) A venue big enough to house all the stuff – typically somebody’s home.
The clothing swap was really popular among my friends at university (hmmm, necessity or ingenuity?) and still gets organized every now and then among my current network. It is an eco-friendly activity because everyone is reusing and diminishing the need to buy brand new stuff. It’s also super rewarding and fun – giving away clothes you no longer wear while you look through other people’s stuff to find something you like!
The clothing swap can extend to other items (e.g. household goods, books, artwork, etc) which gives people of different sizes, fashion tastes, and ages an opportunity to participate as well.
The concept of swapping is not new for the human population – trading, bartering and sharing resources is one of the oldest practices evident in human behaviour.
Nowadays, people barter and swap favours such as babysitting or helping somebody paint for a cooked meal (and maybe a few drinks!).
Swapping just got structured!
Recently, I heard of a new swapping initiative and website called SwapSity. Their goal is to make a positive effect on wallets and our planet and connect swappers with one another. Their website has a matching tool that will help you find local matches, instantly. They don’t charge any fees, so you can swap without reservation!
Beyond swapping stuff, they also encourage skills-swapping (e.g. carpentry, web design skills, cooking or music lessons!). It’s a really neat way to validate and share your skills without the need for a money exchange.
Make a difference − share this environmental tip with your friends.
