5 fashion finds for €15: Trailblazing sustainable swap shop is HERE
With the environmental crisis being one of the most pressing issues of modern living, small changes can have a big impact.
One area which needs reform is the fashion industry – as we live in a culture which highlights the constant purchasing of plastic based and environmentally un-sound items.
However, times are a'changing, as more and more people become interested in alternative routes to serving a lewk. Charity and thrift shopping, re-sale apps like Depop and swap shopping are gaining popularity – and there is a swap shop kicking off in Dublin next weekend if you want to dip a toe into the world of sustainable shopping.
Organised by Sustainable Fashion Dublin (@sustainablefashiondublin), the swap shop is the perfect way to update your wardrobe without harming the planet – and if it's an alien concept to you, here is how it all works.
Co-founded by Geraldine Carton and Taz Kelleher, the Instagram page for SFD is creeping up on 8k followers, and is bringing together a community of young Irish people who are committed to being more mindful about their environmental impact.
In their own words, Sustainable Fashion Dublin 'seeks to encouraging people to shop second-hand and discover sustainable fashion choices through fun, feel-good, environmentally-conscious events such as charity shop crawls, workshops, panel talks, and of course, swap shops.'
In recent months, there has been a huge surge in the 'trend' of sustainability, with environmentally conscious influencers rising through the Instagram rankings to promote a sustainable lifestyle over a constant fast fashion culture – and swap shopping is a part of it.
The concept is simple: You bring items of clothing that you're willing to part with, and get to choose items brought by other attendees in return.
The SFD Swap Shop allows you to bring up to 5 separate items – freshly washed and in good condition (and no forms of underwear).
On arrival the pre-loved clothing will go through a quick quality control examination, before being hung up along the racks of other clothing brought by your fellow swap-shoppers.
Once all the ticket holders have arrived and parted ways with their style swag, attendees line up, and after a 3-2-1 countdown, head into the racks to nab their first ultimate favourite item. Once everyone has one item they love, swap shoppers go back to the starting line and do the same again to grab their second most coveted piece. Repeat for a third time, and once everyone has three items, it's a free for all, with all attendees allowed to peruse the rails at their leisure.
All ages, sizes and genders are welcome, and cold drinks and woodfire pizzas are on the menu.
Kicking off in Lucky's, Dublin, on May 18th, tickets fcr the event are just €15.00, so you can nab 3+ new fashion bits for scarcely the price of one new fast fashion piece.
You can find your tickets here, and following the swap shop, your ticket gives you entry to a gorge sustainable flea market after the festivities.
