This Episode is about the magical powers of the clothes swap. It's also about us having way too many clothes. And some of it is just about the charmed life of Patrick Duffy, New York’s clothes swap king, and the founder of Global Fashion Exchange.

Buy less, choose well is great, but it’s clearly not what everyone’s doing. There are quite simply too many clothes in our wardrobes. Fashion resale is projected to be bigger than fast fashion within 10 years. Millennials are both the most sustainably minded and the biggest impulse buyers - they typically discard items after 1 to 5 wears. What we are seeing here is a picture of excess.

It’s time to consider more creative ways we can tackle our clothing mountains and also our appetites for fashion. What's the haulternative?

NOTES

SHARE ECONOMY “With the Sharing Economy still a novel idea to many, a variety of brands are making strides in facilitating its growth. The creative industries are leading the change with entrepreneurs and visionaries working hard towards a future which reduces waste and closes the loop on all production. The idea of sharing between consumers is pivotal towards the creation of a circular economy and, in turn, shifts the attention of production onto a new form of customer engagement.” Via Forbes Read in full here.

FASHION SWAP “The simplest way to extend the life of your clothes is by giving them a new owner.” And the greenest way to get a mad fashion fix is to go to, or hold a fashion swap.

OPTIONS There are plenty of ways to access new clothing for cheap (or even free) without buying a bunch of fast fashion. Rental, second hand, and clothing swaps are all rising in popularity. Which of these options works best for both the consumer and the environment? 

GLOBAL FASHION EXCHANGE organises events where people bring in unwanted clothes to be swapped for something else. 

UNDERUSED Did you know that it’s estimated that 30% of your closet goes unused? How much of your closet do you actually utilise? 

EXCHANGE Duffy notes that “the whole event is an exchange, not just of clothing, but also of goodwill and knowledge. It feels good to give. And the organisation brings in experts who sort between high street and high fashion.” The pieces that are not tradable go to a recycling area where they educate consumers about how to recycle garments and close the loop. Can clothing swaps and rentals bring people together and educate the consumer in a way that typical shopping doesn’t? 

Want to host a swap yourself? There’s a downloadable kit on the Global Fashion Exchange site. One quick tip? Bring wine!