When you become a parent, you’re almost automatically welcomed into an exclusive club, where pre-loved babies’ clothes are swapped with barely a mention.
It’s understood that babies can grow at lighting speed, and not every new mum, dad or carer has the time (or inclination) to browse in-store or online collections.
As the months and years pass and our little ones grow, these lovely donations often dwindle, so back to the fast fashion machine we go.
The growing trend of sustainability, especially when it comes to older kids’ clothes, has pushed swapping firmly into the spotlight, with sites like Swoperz becoming hugely popular.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits clothing swaps have on the planet, why using Swoperz is a lot easier than setting up your own event, and how it empowers kids to take charge of their look.
The impact of fast fashion…
The statistics surrounding the 21st-century fashion industry are alarming, to say the least.
According to earth.org, around 100 billion garments are produced every year, of which 92 million tonnes end up in landfill. That figure is expected to reach 134 million tonnes by 2030.
This throwaway culture doesn’t just lose $500 billion every year, it’s also responsible for 20% of global waste water and almost 10% of microplastics in the world’s oceans.
If we were producing fewer clothes and wearing them for longer, that would help: but it’s not called fast fashion for nothing. On average, clothes are worn up to 10 times before being chucked in the bin.
The growing practice of swapping clothes seeks to reverse that trend.
…and the benefits of swapping clothes
“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” so the saying goes. This is every bit as true for textile waste as it is anything else second hand.
Encourage recycling
Swapping clothes prevents lots of unwanted items from being thrown in the bin, even if they’re in good condition, and then dumped into landfill.
Whether you want to pass on your kids’ outgrown clothes or free up space in your wardrobe by shelving last season’s winter clothes (we get it, the seasons change), swapping is a sustainable alternative.
The joy of the new-to-you
Many people don’t pay attention to the latest fashion trends. They like what they like and that’s that. Pre-loved clothes can open up a whole new world outside High Street stores or online retailers.
Imagine getting the chance to swap clothes with someone offering original, vintage pieces, or designer garments that you wouldn’t be able to afford? The sky’s the limit.
Pennies from heaven
That brings us neatly to one of the biggest advantages of all: the price. Even the most high-end clothing swap will still be much cheaper than what you’d pay for fast fashion in a shop.
When it comes to kitting out your kids, parents and carers looking for good quality kids clothing can save a fortune. They might even hit the jackpot: new clothes in among a pre-loved bundle.
Swapping doesn’t just apply to beautiful clothes either: think shoes, accessories and other items, all at your fingertips and all for mere pennies compared to their original price.
So, how can you get in on this sustainable, virtuous circle of clothing swaps? There’s a hard way, and there’s an easy way. Let’s take the first one.
Arranging a kids clothing swap
If you’re part of a wide circle of friends or group of parents and/or carers, it may be useful to get everyone together for a big swap-a-thon. If you decide to go ahead, here are our top tips to ensure everyone comes away happy:
Limit the invitations
Spreading the sustainability word is a good thing but it’s worth limiting your guest list to those with youngsters who are around the same ages.
You don’t want to have too many different sizes among the children’s clothing on offer, so everyone is likely to find something that pleases them.
Keep an eye on the seasons
Scheduling your event is one of our most crucial tips: parents and carers will be looking for winter clothes in late October, and summery children’s clothes around April.
Hold it at the right time of the year and you’re more likely to help parents and carers empty their kids’ wardrobes of outgrown clothes from the earlier season and pack it full of lovely new outfits.
Use social media (carefully)
Social media is a great way to let people know about your clothes’ swap event, especially if you’re part of a closed group.
That said, be aware that some invitees may tell their family and friends, and a few extra people may unexpectedly come along. Ideally, you’re aiming for around 8-12 people so things don’t get too chaotic.
Give people plenty of notice
Everyone who has been invited to exchange their kids’ wardrobes will need time to prepare – including you.
Send invitations out around a month in advance so your guests have time to sort through their children’s outfits, ensuring everything’s tickety-boo before the swap event.
Set clothing amount limits
It’s never certain whether everyone who RSVPs to your invitation will actually turn up. It is always wise to set minimum and maximum clothing limits when you send invitations.
That way, you’re ensuring there will be enough quality items for everyone you invite to choose from, without one or two people bringing everything their child owns to the event.
Insist on good quality clothing
The clothes kids wear have to withstand everything our ankle-biters can throw at them, but that shouldn’t mean guests try to foist poor-quality outfits on your event.
Encourage guests to make sure clothes are free from tears or stains, that all pockets have been emptied and any missing buttons or fastenings have been replaced.
Include accessories
Your swap event doesn’t have to focus solely on clothes. The last of our tips is: tell your guests they can bring good quality footwear that has been cleaned, as well as belts, bags and perhaps even toys, if the event has space for them.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to hosting a clothes swap event – it’s exhausting just thinking about it.
Luckily, there is an easy way to swap your kids’ clothes, reduce your impact on the environment and – most importantly of all – empower your child when it comes to their style: the Swoperz platform.
Swoperz: a fun way for kids to swap clothes
It’s fair to say that these days, children are more clued-up about the impact of fashion on the environment than many adults.
That’s partly why they have taken to our Swoperz site like ducks to water. They know that reusing their outerwear and shoes isn’t just about making space in their wardrobe, it’s also about avoiding clothes going into landfill.
So, how does it work?
Swoperz is available to any child, aged six to 16, who wants to swap their clothes with other kids.
They earn tokens for each swap, which they can spend within the site on other items of clothing or accessories. As well as offering a sustainable way for them to exchange their unwanted items for new clothes (at least to them), Swoperz aims to teach kids how to budget.
A unique site
For many children, getting clothes from a shop is a chore, largely because it is the parent with the money who gets to decide what they buy and what they don’t.
What sets Swoperz apart is this: we put your child in the driving seat. They are free to choose what styles they want to swap and which other kids they want to swap with.
We firmly believe our site can empower youngsters to explore and discover their own style, rather than just copying their friends at school or what they see in every fashion shop.
Above all, it is designed to be a fun experience, but we understand how parents and families may worry about young children going online. That’s why we’ve gone above and beyond with our security.
Swap clothing in safety
Swoperz was founded by parents, and online safety is number one on our list of priorities.
Although all the clothing is swapped by the children, their parents and carers oversee everything. No swaps or communication can take place on our secure, verified platform without grownup approval, and kids can only ever talk to other kids.
That’s because we have implemented safety measures to ensure all children’s and teenagers’ safety on the site, thanks to our partnership with TrustElevate.
It is the only company globally that verifies whether a person who says they are a child’s parent is exactly who they say they are.
When a parent or carer registers to join Swoperz and adds their children, all users are then verified using TrustElevate’s technology.
A sustainable way to swap kids’ clothing
Being able to swap clothes, bags and school uniforms that are all in good condition is a great way to save money and help the planet.
Swoperz does all this, while keeping every child choosing to join our platform safe and secure.
Our aim is to encourage as many kids as possible to swap their unwanted clothes on our platform. Instead of it going to landfill, they can fill their wardrobe with stuff that reflects their changing styles and – who knows – maybe even make some new friends?
Sign up and get started
Fed up of trawling every shop in the High Street for new clothes? Want to embrace a sustainable alternative? Join our platform and your kid can swap to their heart’s content!
It couldn’t be easier to get started, simply click here to sign up.