Environmental trivia around: clothes exchange

Thirty dedicated shoppers swapped clothes at the Summerhill Trust at an event organised by REROOT.

what is ReRoot

ReRoot is a Newcastle based community empowering individuals to be the best versions of themselves, their events to engage the community in health, wellness and environmental action.

how to swap

This event is simple: a 1.5-pound entrance fee.

“Everyone can bring their own old clothes,” said Rachel Enright, the organizer. “as long as the clothes are clean and free of stains, you can keep wearing them.”

Each piece of clothing can be exchanged for a token, and the extra token needs to be bought for one pound.

These tokens can be exchanged on the spot for your favorite clothes: one token= one clothe. In this way, old clothes may become a treasure for others.

where did left clothes go

I asked Rachel what to do with the clothes that hadn’t been changed. She said that this event is donation -based. The Money raised will be to cover the cost of the room and the remaining will be donated to planting some beautiful trees, giving back to nature who gives so freely. All excess thanks will be donated to charities.

How about the event

I interviewed the organizer and some customers, let’s hear what they say.

“The beauty of a swap shop is you can let go of the old and welcome something new. It feels to Reduce our shopping, Reuse our clothes and Recycle.” Rachel, the organizer said.

The clothes exchange was the first of its kind this year, but it was a great success. The atmosphere was very good, everyone was very happy to communicate, choose or try on clothes, and there were also delicious cupcakes prepared for guests to sit and chat.

I interviewed customers at random. “I would say it’s a very good example of protecting the environment, because it’s a sustainable way, and if more people get involved in the future, it can grow into a very big thing.” Grace said.

“Even though I didn’t get the clothes I like, it was a great opportunity to bring the community together, meet new people and do something meaningful,” Amanda said.

My feeling

This is my first time to participate in the clothes exchange. I also donated a hat and a skirt. There was nothing wrong with the clothes, but they were always left behind in my wardrobe, and the event gave them a second chance to be loved. At the same time, as a student with little economic ability, this activity allows me to indirectly participate in environmental protection and do something within my power. I feel very happy.

How to get involved

If you’re also interested in environmental campaigns, check out REROOT‘s Facebook, and maybe they’ll organize more similar community events in the future. Hopefully, we can all start with the little things around us and do something for the planet.