Clearing out your wardrobe? Yearning for a new look? But feeling the pinch of the cost of living crisis, or wondering about the environmental impact of new clothes?
Get your fashion fix the planet- and pocket-friendly way when the Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) Eco Clothes Swap returns on Saturday, 11th March.
“We invite you to bring clean unwanted clothing to our eco shop on Threadneedle Street by 4pm on Friday 10 March,” says eco shop supervisor Tash Fletcher. “We’ll give you a coupon, which you bring along to exchange for new-to-you goodies on Saturday, 11th March between 10am and 2pm.
“We welcome clothing for all ages and genders, as well as accessories and good-quality shoes with plenty of wear left in them.”
The Eco Clothes Swap has been running since 2021 and fits with SVP’s green ethos.
“Creating textiles uses lots of water and petrochemicals and releases harmful substances into our air and water,” explains SVP CEO Clare Mahdiyone. “Microfibres from artificial fabrics enter our water supply and end up in our drinking water, and inside fish and other water-dwelling life.
“What’s more, the demand for clothes, often made by people who are working too many hours in poor conditions for very little pay, means we end up with huge amounts of waste – we’re buying double the amount of clothing we did 15 years ago but keeping clothes for half as long.
“One solution is to buy second-hand clothing – and our Eco Swap is free, which means everyone can get a wardrobe reboot just for donating the clothes they no longer wear!”
“It’s always a lot of fun going through the clothes donated by Stroud’s fashionistas,” adds Tash. “We have floaty summer dresses, practical trousers and versatile tops, as well as a few statement pieces for the bold!”
“We do need more, though, especially men’s and children’s clothing – so if you have any unwanted dresses, skirts, trousers or tops, bring them in to the shop by Friday, 10th March… but please wash them first!
“If you don’t have any clothes to donate, you can still take part; simply donate to our charity to get your hands on a few pre-loved pieces. We welcome donations for swaps, and all the money donated goes back into our charity work to keep Stroud’s people and nature thriving together.”
