Festival of Sustainable Fashion | Hackney, London | November 24th 2018 | entry FREE

These are Betsy’s top tips for a happy swishing…

swap

1) Make yourself comfortable and grab a beverage. Go through your closet and pull out all those gorgeous clothes you never wear. Try them on one more time. Nope? Are you emotionally dethatched and ready to let go? De-clutter & refresh your wardrobe at the Big Swish tomorrow! Gain value from clearing out and use the space for items you will actually wear! Often we hoard clothes we know we will never wear again because we feel guilty about letting them go to waste. The best items to swap are good quality garments with a long potential lifespan. Pick your five preloved items and put them back into Betsy’s collective wardrobe, you’re giving them a second life with someone new who will treasure them. Items should be washed and folded, free of faults. Personal, old or damaged item are unswappable. As usual bring the quality you expect to find. Only take items likely to be valued by fellow swappers, do not bring anything you wouldn’t like in return. Ask yourself, would I be proud to give this item to a friend? If the answer is YES, take it to the swap!

2) Check in with Betsy’s team from 11:00, bring max 5 items to this event. You will get a membership card and a stamp for re-entry.

We are the #swaplution to fast fashion, we are one of the #haulternatives. To be an effective competition to “buying new” and to ensure your experience is better than shopping, we have quality control standards in place at all our events. Our criteria are based on quality not style, because taste is personal! You will find a wide array of styles to choose from – from handmade to designer garments via high street basics, sometimes with the price tags still on. For each item that we accept, you receive tokens in exchange. They are your currency. Betsy’s token system is designed to ensure you will receive fair value for the items you donate; you can use your credit at any of our events!

If your items are not suitable for swapping you can either take them to the repair cafe or leave with us to get them recycled.

3) The swish opens at 12:15 with a brief introduction to the ‘rules of the game’. Play fair and have fun! Follow our swap etiquette and be a gracious swapper. Respect others space and time, no elbowing no rushing. Avoid any unnecessary hoarding, if it does not fit put it back or give it to one of Betsy’s PAs! We ask swappers not to take more than 3 garments to try at one time. Soon after the first round of trying on, items will find their way back to the racks; be patient, open minded and relax and you’ll attract clothes something perfect for you. Stick around and mingle. Someone will come up to you to tell you that the item you picked was theirs, someone else will complement you on how great that colour looks on you.

4) Once you have swapped til you dropped, use your tokens to pay for your ‘new-to-you’ items! Our eco-friendly alternative gives you all the pleasure of retail therapy without contributing to the detrimental impact of fast fashion on the planet and communities.

5) Now every time someone compliments you on your gorgeous ‘new’ outfit, you can proudly answer, “Thanks, I got it at Betsy’s Closet Swap Shop”. Take photos, share them on line, stay in touch, and help us making sustainable fashion mainstream! Follow Betsy’s adventures here: https://www.instagram.com/betsysclosetswapshop/

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