Fashionable Recyclable

A few weeks back, I attended a fashion swap at the home of a friend of mine. I wondered why we didn't have these events more often as they are easy to organise, are a great way to meet up with old friends meet new people, have some good food and drinks and most important - keep those clothes in the system and have you looking your fashionable best.

It’s estimated in Canada that we have 7kg per capita worth of textiles in our landfills. Clothing make up over 4% of the landfills’ total. It takes a great deal of fuel, water and energy to manufacture clothing. According to a British government information page, people there purchase 2 million tonnes of clothing each year and 3.1 million tonnes of carbon emissions result from the manufacture of these items. Many synthetic fabrics are difficult to break down once they are disposed and the manufacturing can involve harmful chemicals. UK-based Continental Clothing announced earlier this year they will be the first in the world to place “carbon footprint labels” in their items. It sounds a good direction for the clothing industry and hopefully, this will become the norm in the years to come. And if we can keep more existing clothing in use, we will have cut down greatly the impact we have on the earth and its resources.
Onto the fun. A fashion swap party can be extravagant or simple. The choice is up to you. Get the host to cook, do a pot-luck or order out. If you want to splurge, call in a caterer who specialises in local organic foods. Add some nice brew if it's an adult affair (There are many local beers and wines that taste great to liven up the occasion).
Lay out the clothes and have everyone go round examining the wares. Make it a free-for-all; a case of it fits, take it. Or be creative and let avarice be positive. If there’s a pair of the season’s latest Jimmy Choos in mint condition and everyone is eyeing it, make it an auction item with proceeds going to a charity of the buyer’s choice.
And if you don't find anything your style or size, who cares. Take the unclaimed clothing to your favourite charity shops. These items will then either be purchased locally with proceeds going to the charities or be shipped to developing countries (where second-hand clothing is the only attire most can afford).
My friend’s swap evening was a wonderfully cosey and friendly affair with generous portions of her home-made eats (with the most popular being the baked confectionaries and home-made bread), good conversation and a fair quantity of drink going well into the night. Friends and co-workers chatted about the bad boss, new acquaintances were made and most of us went home with something “new” for the wardrobe.
The outcome is that everyone has a nice evening, save some money and do their little bit to ease the burden we create on our planet through our fashion habits.