How to host a clothes swap
Choosing to go second hand is a great way to ditch fast fashion.You’re not just changing what you buy, you’re creating an opportunity to do it in a social setting which encourages people to talk about it.
So from someone who’s hosted their fair share of swaps, here’s your guide to throwing a successful clothes swap.
1. Venue
Whether you’re going for intimate, chilled vibes or aiming to make a bigger statement, the venue is key. Hosting at yours or a friend or family member’s home is a great place to start. Look for a community centre or a place of worship. If you’re a student there should also be opportunities to host at your school or uUniversity.You can also check if your place of work can offer a space. And who knows, you might inspire others to host their own in the process.
If you want to go even bigger, try reaching out to vintage or sustainable fashion brands to sponsor the event and cover the cost of a snazzy venue. This is a great way to show other alternatives to fighting fast fashion and they might even help you advertise the event to the wider public.
2. Invites
Once you’ve decided on the type of swap you want to host and have nailed down a venue, you can start thinking about how to get people there. Facebook is of course an obvious choice for events of all sizes. Using event hosting websites like Eventbrite is also a simple way to share your event on social media and keep track of how many people are coming. If you want to open it up to more people, why not make some posters and dot them around your local community, workplace or school. Just make sure guests know exactly how it works by including simple steps of how to take part.
3. Set up
Setting up for a clothes swap can be as easy or complicated as you like. All you need to do is make sure there’s a place to put the clothes and it’s totally up to you how you do that. If you have access to a clothes rail these are the easiest way for people to take a look at all the clothes on offer. If not, get creative and use whatever’s available to you; tables, chairs, door hooks, anything to hook hangers onto will do. You then need to make sure there’s a base of clothes from which the swap can build on. This makes sure the first to arrive can get started straight away and is insurance in case people don’t bring very much to swap (don’t forget to include clothes of all sizes). It’s also a nice touch to add snacks and drinks to the event but be sure to include options for all dietary requirements.
4. Tokens
It’s inevitable that different people will bring a variety of items and that some will bring more than others. The difference in quality is also a likely factor you’ll need to consider. One system you could use is using tokens which are handed out to people on arrival, based on how many clothes they have and the quality of them (the material, brand, condition etc.). Of course this is subjective but to make it easier you could print out some simple, short guidelines for whoever’s on the door. If there’s only a few of you this may not be necessary and you can discuss what you all think is fair on the night. Another way to do it is to set a certain number of items people have to bring to take part as well some quality control rules e.g no stains or broken items. But again this is up to you as some people are keen sewers and may see potential where others don’t.
5. Fundraise
Hosting an event like this can be a great excuse to fundraise. There’s a few options of how you ticket the event but one way is to have a compulsory donation to a charity of your choice. This can either be done online before or during the event or you can take cash donations on the day. Alternatively ticket proceeds can be used to cover the costs of the event. In this case using a website like Eventbrite is an easy way to keep track of who’s paid.
6. Donate
Once the event is over you’re bound to have a few items leftover which nobody wanted. Unless you’re planning on having another clothes swap and can store them somewhere you’re going to need to dispose of them. Check if the items are in a good enough condition to be taken to a charity shop (i.e if they can be sold again) and if they’re not then you can recycle them. For information about your local textile recycling options you can visit recyclenow.com.
