Most of us love switching up our wardrobe every now and then. Let’s not deny it – getting new threads is a thrill. But don’t assume the high street is the best option for freshening up your look. Consider swapping instead!
A clothes swap is an event at which people exchange the clothes they no longer want with other swappers. Swaps are relaxed, enjoyable events – a much more positive experience than trailing round a packed shopping centre, in our humble opinion.
We ensure all the clothes at Stitched Up clothes swaps are good quality and in great condition. Entry costs £5 and you can bring up to 10 items. On arrival your clothes will be sorted into two different categories: Great (designer and vintage) and Good (high street etc). You’ll receive a swap card which is stamped once for each item you bring. You get different coloured stamps for Good or Great items, so you’re always swapping like-for-like. Once you’ve checked in you’re free to browse the rails and grab all the things you like. Simple!
Still not convinced? Here are the top 5 reasons why, for us, swapping beats going shopping every single time…
1. It’s Cheaper
At Stitched Up clothes swaps, a small entry fee of £5 is the only money you spend. You can take home as many garments as you brought with you, up to a maximum of 10.
When shopping on the high street you’re looking at £50 for a new outfit, at least. Our clothes swaps include both high street and designer clothing, so you could be getting a huge bargain in exchange for items that were gathering dust at the back of your closet.
Even at a charity shop or jumble sale you’d struggle to get 10 garments for £5!
2. It’s Environmentally Friendly
The fast fashion industry that creates high street clothing is terrible for the planet. Clothing waste is a huge problem and the process of making new clothes uses up vital resources such as water and releases dangerous chemicals into the environment. If you regularly buy new clothes you’re helping to feed this machine – increasing the demand for clothes made in this way.
Clothes swaps divert perfectly usable and lovely items from unnecessarily ending up in our overflowing landfills. By swapping instead of shopping, you help to keep items of clothing in use for longer. According to research by WRAP, extending the useful life of your clothing by 9 months reduces its carbon, water and waste footprints by around 20% each.
By taking your unwanted clothes to a swap, you can extend their life even if you don’t want to continue wearing them yourself!
3. It Avoids Supporting an Unethical Industry
The fast fashion industry also treats garment workers really unfairly. When buying new clothes you’re putting more money in the pockets of companies who often force their workers to work unbearably long days in dangerous and uncomfortable conditions, for wages that barely allow them to put food on the table.
Although the clothes you get in a clothes swap aren’t guaranteed to have been ethically made, you are at least acquiring them secondhand. This means your hard-earned cash is not contributing to an unethical industry which puts profit before people. Instead it supports your local clothes swap to run regular events in your community and provide a regular source of preloved clothes.
4. It’s More Fun
Swap shops are relaxed and sociable events – whether you come with friends/family or on your own, you’re sure to meet new people.
Clothes swapping is all about the thrill of the chase – having a good rummage through the rails and discovering some totally unique items that can’t be found in the shops. If you’re a bargain hunter, you will LOVE clothes swaps!
As you’re not spending any money on the clothes there’s less pressure to play it safe. At clothes swaps, people often find themselves trying clothes they wouldn’t usually consider, and end up totally rocking them. While you’re trying stuff on people will often chip in with compliments or styling suggestions. It’s fun to have a chat with fellow swappers about the clothes and the stories behind them, and it’s great to have a room full of people ready to offer you advice and encouragement should you need it.
5. It Cuts the Wardrobe Clutter
Nearly a third of the clothes in the average UK wardrobe haven’t been worn in over a year – a huge amount if you ask us! We’re all guilty of having clutter, but when we go shopping we’re just filling up our houses with more and more stuff – no good for us or our bank balance! A cluttered house or wardrobe can cause stress and make it difficult to focus. But worrying about clutter doesn’t have to be a reason to stop you changing up your style, because clothes swaps are the perfect way to instigate a ‘one in, one out’ policy for your wardrobe. When swapping you give away the things you don’t want and gain the things you do, without increasing the number of garments in your wardrobe – what’s not to love?
Like what you hear and ready to try out swapping for yourself? Here are two ways to stay up to date with our latest events:
Stitched Up Clothes Swaps Facebook page
See What’s On on our website
We look forward to seeing you on the swap floor soon!
Stitched Up x
