It is astonishing how much of our old clothes end up in landfill. However the trend is changing and we are being educated into how valuable our old cast offs can be. Two new entrepreneurial schemes to assist us in donating our no longer needed or worn garments to charity. The first is pioneered by that well known household name Marksandspencer and promoted by our much loved Joanna Lumley. It is called “Shwopping”. Remember when we just used to throw away our bottles and newspapers now most of us re-cycle these consumer items. Why not the same with our clothes. The Marksandspencer philosophy is that old cast offs should have a future. They are passed on to Oxfam so that they can be re-sold, re-used or recycled and all the money goes to people in poverty. Their aim is to change the way we shop, every time you go to buy something new (or even if you don’t) next time you visit Marksandspencer drop something in the bin.
Shwopping and recycling clothes – the latest trend
I will be posting about the second new and successful venture in “living and giving” next week in the meantime If you live in the UK it is a bank holiday week-end and very likely going to rain so it might be a good time to have a sort out of your wardrobe in readiness for some “Shwopping” next week. Personally I am off to a “car boot sale” on Sunday (weather permitting) another method to clear out unwanted stuff and hopefully get a few £ into the bargain. It will be my first experience of a car boot sale (not so different from a Brocante) will report back next week.
Happy Shwopping!
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Fashion and Style, Beauty tips, Lifestyle
Except for worn out underwear and socks, all of our cast-off clothing is donated, either to a friend’s church where it goes to poor families in Mexico, or to the local charity thrifts. I *hate* the idea of throwing away clothing. If it’s too ruined for anyone to wear, I tear up for cleaning rags. Looking forward to hearing about the “living and giving!”
I’ve noticed a lot of non-charity bags coming through the door of late, as recycling textiles is big business. Our recycling programme covers textiles as well as the usual paper, glass, plastic. I craft with a lot of my fabrics but save the bits to go into the recycling.
I too donate, unless decrepit.
Wanted to take this topic further, how about swopping with friends? We all have mistakes or things we “grew out of”. One of my friends organized such an evening- rented rolling racks, bought some wine (essential) and asked us to estimate a fair “jumble sale price”. then we swapped and made up the difference with a little cash. Anything unswapped at end of rather raucous evening went to charity. Really fun!
We give our old items to the school they do a scheme with “Phil the Bag” where the school gets paid per kg and the money goes to the PTA.
Thank you all for your good alternative suggestions for recycling I especially like Duchesse’s It has been on my todo list for some time to get together with my nieces and arrange a large swop party in aid of Leukaemia. I must get on the case.