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How to organise a clothing swap event this National Recycling Week
By Ashmeeta Subra 25 October 2024
Doing a spring clean and finding gently used clothes that you no longer wear or need? With National Recycling Week just around the corner, hosting a clothing swap event at your workplace, school or community is a great way to keep those clothes in use!
Australians are among the largest consumers of new clothing in the world. On average, each of us purchases about 56 new items each year, many of which end up as waste. This National Recycling Week (Nov 11-17), Planet Ark is encouraging Australians to Join the Cycle and take meaningful actions to reduce textile waste and make a positive impact on the environment.
The best starting point to reduce waste is to be mindful with your purchases by only buying items that you need. When you really need something, try to buy items that are good quality and made to last. Exploring options like second hand shopping, renting outfits for special occasions or repairing what we already own are also great. These simple practices can help minimise waste in landfills and lower the demand for new materials in the future, significantly reducing environmental impact.
Beyond these options, a clothes swap is a great way to refresh your wardrobe without spending a dime, give your clothes a second life and connect with your community. Here, we’ve put together some tips to help you successfully organise an event:
Choose a suitable time and place:
Whether you’re organising for your workplace, school, or community, pick a time and location that works for everyone.
If it’s for a school, consider planning it during the Schools Recycle Right campaign to align with other activities. For your workplace, ensure it doesn’t conflict with other meetings or events.
Set ground rules:
Establish guidelines for attendees to bring good quality clothing in manageable quantities to prevent any excess at the end of the event. A helpful rule of thumb is if you would gift them to a friend or family member, it’s likely in suitable condition for a swap.
Arrange some snacks and drinks:
If your event lasts several hours, providing refreshments may encourage people to stick around and engage a little longer.
You could even arrange a potluck or bake sale featuring homemade treats to add a communal aspect while staying within budget. Be sure to set up proper disposal and recycling options to manage waste effectively.
Consider a theme:
Think about hosting a themed swap event to make it more special. For instance, you could host a spring cleaning or holiday swap and encourage attendees to bring items that align with the theme. You could also expand the theme to include other textiles such as linens, bags, craft fabric or school uniforms.
For further impact, consider partnering with other groups and schools or turn it into a fundraising event!
Have a plan for leftovers:
After the event, check Recycling Near You for local charity stores or recyclers that can take any items that didn’t get swapped. This will ensure that everything will go to a good home in the end.
Visit the following link for templates and other resources to help you host your swap event.
Be sure to register your National Recycling Week event here to raise awareness and get your community involved.
With background in international relations and marketing communications, Ashmeeta is excited to use her skills to encourage positive environmental actions through Planet Ark. She believes that by taking small actions, we can help make a big difference and be good stewards of our planet. She also loves spending time in nature and being at the beach.
