Posh Swaps Blog

There has been a lot of talk lately about sustainable clothes and eco fashion. Every day a new brand emerges that is in some better for the environment than conventional clothing and usually more ethically produced. But with fast fashion and the culture of buying cheaply (and often unethically) made high fashion clothing still highly popular and ‘environmental green washing’ becoming the new in phrase, what really can be done to make clothing more sustainable?

At Posh Swaps we believe that there is no right or wrong way to become more sustainable, anything that we can do, no matter how small is a positive step in the right direction. But there are some things that we can do that are likely to have a more positive effect than others.

1. Buy less clothes - it is quite simple really, the less clothes that we buy, the less environmental damage is caused in their manufacture and the less waste we make. Clothes swapping is a great alternative to buying clothes. It allows you to update your wardrobe without having an impact (or a very minimal impact on the environment)

2. Buy second hand clothes- this is the most eco friendly way to buy clothes. There is no additional carbon footprint (except for transport) associated with buying new clothes. But we understand that you cannot always find exactly what you want second hand and will sometimes need to buy new.

3. Buy quality clothes that will last, where possible in Eco friendly fabrics- fabrics made from recycled materials, probably have the smallest footprint as they do not have to be made from scratch. There is also the benefit of having saved materials that may have otherwise ended up in landfill. Other eco friendly fabrics including organic bamboo, cotton and hemp are all better than their conventional alternatives but still have a carbon footprint associated with their growth and manufacture and contribute to the problem of waste so should always be bought to last.

Finally, in order to ensure that your clothing is really sustainable, you should consider its whole life  cycle:

• Buy clothes to last
• Wash and dry (or clean) in as eco friendly manner as possible
• When you no longer need them recycle by selling or donating to charity.

Posh-swaps.com was at the Southbank Centre in London on Wednesday for the Sustainable Clothing Conference and update of the Sustainable Clothing Roadmap. The conference included entrance to Estethica, London Fashion Week’s sustainable trade show, a reception and address by Environment Minister Dan Norris.The conference brought together over 200 clothing industry representatives to discuss the ethical and environmental impacts of clothing.

One year on from the first sustainable action plan in which Posh Swaps pledged to promote recycling and reuse of clothes by encouraging clothes swapping and buying and selling of second hand clothes as well as other eco fashion and sustainable clothing. A further 40 companies and organisations have signed up to the action plan including British Retail Consortium, Ethical Fashion Forum, Forum for the Future, Levis Strauss, MADE-BY, Cotton Made in Africa, RSPCA, Society of Dyers and Colourists.

Since its creation the SCAP has brought together over 40 organisations, from high street retailers, to designers and textile manufacturers to battle the environmental and ethical impacts of ‘throw away’ fashion.  Some of the biggest names in fashion are working to take actions which will make a significant difference to the environmental footprint and social inequalities which blight some of the consumer fashion supply chain.

Many of the initiatives from the original action plan are now well underway including Tesco’s new sustainable clothing range in collaboration with From Somewhere which will launch this Spring and the Oxfam ‘Clothes Exchange’ partnership with M&S.

There was also the announcement of a £3.5 million fund to be made available over 3 years by the Responsible and Accountable Garment Sector (RAGS) fund for bids from organisations who want to make the clothing business more ethical and contribute more strongly to development in poor countries.

Swish 3rd - Cancer Research

06 Mar 2010 19:00

Venue: St. Gregorys Social Club, Swarcliffe Leeds

This is the third Swish Party I will have organised; only this time this one is at a Venue!

I charge £5 for tickets and ALL PROCEEDS go to Cancer Research UK as the kind people at St. Gregorys are letting me have the room for free!

If you would like to come or donate a prize for our Raffle; please email me at nickicarney@aol.co.uk

Thanks

Nicola

Email: nickicarney@aol.co.uk

Kid Frock Harrogate

11 Mar 2010 10:00

Venue: withheld…

A SWISHING EVENTS FOR JUST KIDS CLOTHES

AGES 0-6

£6 ADMISSION FEE

FREE MAKEOVERS & NAIL TREATMENTS

RING 01423 505368

Email: info@pacaconcept.co.uk

Clothes swap party hosted by Carbootles

23 Feb 2010 19:30

Venue: The Plough, Northfields Avenue, Northfields

The FIRST BIG CARBOOTLES clothes swap of 2010!

Carbootles have hosted many a clothes swap party gaining the experience needed to make any clothes swap run smoothly enabling all guests to enjoy the clothes swap scramble! Hehe….

Please don’t hesitate to contact Christina with any questions you may have either by phone or email.

To join the Carbootles mailing list email info@carbootles.co.uk subject header ‘mailing list’. You can also join our facebook group page - just search Carbootles.

Peace out!

Email: info@carbootles.co.uk

Dr Challoners High School ‘Big Swish’

12 Mar 2010 19:00

Venue: Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire

A senior school Swishing Party for girls & parents to raise funds. All female event, entry £5, get exchange token for quality clean pressed items you bring along (max 5). Viewing from 7pm - Swish begins at 7.45pm. Girly drinks & nibbles available - great night out!

Email: committee@dchs-pa.org.uk

The Shelford Swish

12 Mar 2010 20:00

Venue: Great Shelford Memorial Hall

The Great Shelford Swish promises to be the glam, feel good event of the Spring for Cambridge ladies.

Email: alison_j_denton@waitrose.co.uk

Frugal Fashionista Clothing Swap

21 Mar 2010 12:00

Venue: Orgasmic, York

A whole new wardrobe for only £5 entry fee (pay on the day on entry)
which all goes to a great cause- the British Heart Foundation.

If you haven\’t been able to afford to treat yourself to any new fashion pieces lately because of this crazy credit crunch then this is the perfect event for you to come and cheer yourself up…..Come to enjoy a fun afternoon with friends and SWAP not SHOP!!
Clothes swap parties are a sociable, fun, exciting eco-chic way of shopping. You can refresh your wardrobes and feel fabulous with your newly exchanged finds. You and your girlfriends can be sure to enjoy an evening of fun, fashion & treats in style
Bring in your nice, quality, clean clothes, shoes, bags and accessories that you haven\’t worn for ages or simply dont fit anymore and swap then for a whole new refreshed wardrobe- it couldnt be simpler.
Drop in to the upstairs at Orgasmic Bar in York from 12 onwards to early evening time, bring in any items you want, refreshments available from the bar and you can also treat yourself to some sweet treats on sale- remember it is all in the name of CHARITY!!
Hope to see you all there!

Email: nicthechick8@hotmail.com

THE CITY SWISH

24 Mar 2010 18:00

Venue: London, South African High Commission, Trafalgar Square,

Get your stylish girlfriends together for a fabulous evening of clothes swapping, bubbly and treats! Raid your wardrobe for three gorgeous pieces that are unworn or that you no longer wear to swap for other lovely pieces in return. Friends and fashion - what a perfect evening out!

Buy tickets now at www.starfishcharity.org

Bring: Shirts, tops, skirts, dresses, jumpers, cardies, trousers, coats, jackets, shoes, handbags, necklaces or scarves simply bring them to be swapped 1 for 1 for some lovely new pieces for your wardrobe.

Don\’t bring: As we like to keep the exchange as fair as possible, please leave at home the shabby old bits that you aren’t wearing simply because they are worn out. Please bring between 3 and 10 clean quality items that you would be proud to pass on.

Why should I go? Swishing is a sociable, fun, exciting eco-chic way of shopping. You can refresh your wardrobes and feel fabulous with your newly exchanged finds. You and your girlfriends can be sure to enjoy an evening of fun, fashion & treats in style.

About Starfish Starfish Greathearts Foundation is an international development charity, aiming to bring life, hope and opportunity to children orphaned or made vulnerable by the AIDS pandemic in southern Africa. Starfish supports community based organisations providing services at grassroots level in the areas of crisis intervention, community support and building sustainable capacity. Starfish relies on the support of individuals across the globe to help provide a positive response - one child at a time. For more on Starfish information, please email ukinfo@starfishcharity.org or visit www.starfishcharity.org.

Where your money goes? This event has been sponsored by Investec so that 100% of the ticket price goes directly to the children Starfish support.

Email: alice.gilkes@starfishcharity.org

SWISH - Plymouth’s Biggest Clothes Swapping Party

26 Mar 2010 18:30

Venue: Plymouth Guildhall

SWISH - Plymouth\’s Biggest Clothes Swapping Party! TICKET ONLY event. Available in advance £8 each: 01752 492626.
Doors open at 6.30pm - Browsing from 7.30pm
SWISH countdown at 9pm!
RETAIL & BEAUTY STANDS, PERSONAL STYLISTS, CATWALK SHOWS, ENTERTAINMENT, BAR & REFRESHMENTS …PLUS…FANTASTIC MAKEOVER STAND TO HELP YOU RESTYLE & FIT YOUR OLD/NEW GARMENTS!!
Book early to avoid disappointment: 01752 492626
www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk

Email: events@stlukes-hospice.org.uk

The Pink Shoe Spring Swish

31 Mar 2010 18:00

Venue: Westminster

Spring clean your wardrobe & swap your quality cast-offs over fizz & nibbles in luxurious surroundings! To support Dress for Success, helping disadvantaged women back into work so bring an extra interview-ready outfit if you can!

Email: info@pinkshoeclub.com

For the second season at New York Fashion Week, the Green Shows featured a range of global eco designers and brands sending a very clear message that New York can do green with style. The collections featured a range of ecofriendly fabrics including recycled and upcycled, organic and sustainable fabrics.

The Green Shows opened with an extravagant and elaborate couture , inspired collection, by London designer Gary Harvey featuring recycled clothes made into beautiful full skirted outfits.

Another fresh and charming collection was by Samantha Pleet whose organic cotton and wool clothes are made in a wind powered manufacturing facility in New York. Her designs are young and fresh and worn by a number of indie bands. This time her collection featured some very desirable pieces, simple but with a touch of fantasy.

JoAnn Berman’s colourful and eclectic collection was made using recycled and upcycled materials.

There was plenty more in terms of creative and wearable eco fashion at The Green Shows. John Partick Organic showed his collection at the main fashion week and has long been a shining example of Eco fashion in New York. His collection featured elegant and timeless pieces inspired by Lady Di and Joni Mitchell. Classic and nostalgic with some great tailoring.

Just sometimes the process of using recycled materials in fashion designs causes something amazing. In the case of his SS10 collection it was Christopher Raeburn who brought about this transformation turning decommissioned military stock that would usually be destined for the bin into some very beautiful clothes. The designer who is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and has recently been awarded NEWGEN sponsorship reinterprets streetwear into luxurious high end pieces made from parachute silk, heavy wools leather and quilting. The collection will also be accompanied by a range of hats and bags.

This has to be recycling at its best.

This gorgeous neutral coat (Available to buy on Posh-swaps.com) is great for weathering the April showers in style, very SS10!

As the SS10 trends start to emerge in the shops, magazines and fashion websites, you might well be getting something of a feeleing of deja vu. This is not unusual as in the case of so many of this seasons (and every seasons) trends, we quite simply have been there before. The looks are usually inspired by fashion from a previous decade or just another take on a trend that comes around every few years. Take for example polka dots, we have most definitely visited this one before on numerous occassions, I should know, I have enough of it in my wardrobe. So what is so different about it this time - not that much really. Mix with a pop of colour or clash with a floral pattern and voila you have an up to date and trendy look for Spring Summer 2010. So here are a few trends for 2010 that you may well find on the rail of a second hand clothes shop (or this website) which can easily be updated for SS10.

Neutrals - this is a really easy one. Anything in beige, cream, nude or neutral will be big news this year. Chiffon dresses, jackets, shorts, trousers take your pick then wear with tan colour or neutral shoes a simple hairstyle and natural looking make up.

Trench Coats- these classic just keep coming back season after season. Try wearing with a contrasting brown belt as seen at Burberry Prorsum for for an updated look.

Florals- another key look that doesn’t really ever go out of fashion. Florals for SS10 fall into 2 categories. The dark ditsy print florals which can be worn with black opaques and Doctor Martin boots for the Nineties revival grunge look and the really bold and bright florals which are great for layering and clashing with bright colours and prints.

Minimalist -clean cut simple tailored pieces worn with minimal jewellery, pattern or fuss were another big nineties trend that is on its way back in this spring. This is a great trend to do second hand as you will be able to afford slightly better tailored pieces than you would new. For an updated look try wearing a minimalist tailored jacket with rolled up jeans and some strappy heels.

Safari / tribal prints- this season both safari and tribal prints were mixed for a eyecatching effect. Try layering different bold prints with the neutral sandy coloured safari pieces to work this trend. Also look for scarves with bright graphic prints to accessorise the look.

Denim - this never really goes out of fashion but for SS10, try all over denim (easy jeans plus denim jacket) or mix light colours with light blue denim. Another great look is the classic white shirt and denim skirt seen at Stella McCartney.

So there you have it. It is really not difficult to create this seasons looks from second hand clothes. Just mix it up a bit, layer pieces, roll the sleeves or trousers up and combine with up to date shoes or accessories. Not only will you save money but you will be investing in some great quality pieces that are sure to come back into fashion again in the future. The best thing is that no one will even know that you are wearing second hand clothes.

The principles of sustainability can be applied to almost anything but for humans, it is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which depends on the wellbeing of the natural world and the responsible use of its resouces. Fashion and clothing are well recognised as having a high environmental impact and being unsustainable. Here are just a few ways that you can become a more sustainable shopper when it comes to clothing and fashion:

• Buy clothes to last - choose quality pieces in classic styles that will not go out of fashion quickly.
• Look after clothes- ensure that clothes are washed according to instructions, protect from moths using cedarwood balls and make minor repairs as neccessary.
• Where possible buy second hand clothes or swap clothes.
• Recycle old clothes by selling them, swapping them or donating to charities.
• If you do buy new clothes, opt for sustainable fibres like organic cotton, bamboo and hemp.
• Consider carefully how you wash clothes and the environmental impact. Wash on a low temperature, line dry and use eco detergents where possible.

Spring is on its way and I can’t wait, longer days, warmer weather and a whole new wardrobe. Well actually, just because we are about to move in to a new season, it doesn’t mean that you need to buy a whole wardrobe of new clothes. It is likely that you will already have many items in your wardrobe that fit in with the seasons new trends or some really classic items that never go out of fashion. If you really don’t have anything or are in desperate need of an updated look why not try swapping some of your old clothes or buying some second hand clothes? Not only is it environmentally friendly, but you are likely to get more style for your money and will be able to afford better quality that will last for seasons to come. Here are my tp 5 items to swap or but second hand this spring.

Tailored Jackets - for a really up to date look, try wearing a tailored jacket with jeans or a t shirt and pencil skirt. Tailored jackets are a great secondhand buy as they have usually only had light wear. They are also usually quite flattering. I love this black and white tweed jacket which would look great over a really bright pink t shirt.

Trench Coat - this is one of those pieces of clothing that just keeps coming back into fashion time and time again. In fact, I am not really sure if it ever really goes out of fashion. It is classic, versatile and practical. I love this purple mac, it will work equally well for daytime or evening.

Unusual Jewellery - an unusual piece of jewellery is a great way to update and finish an outfit, add interest and stand out from the crowd. By wearing something unusual, you will not need to worry about following trends, you will be unique. I love these sweet earrings, they would look great with a bright green, pink or blue top or dress.

Leather Handbag - a good leather handbag will become better with age. A designer bag is always a good investment buy whether it is new or secondhand. This brown Mulberry messenger bag is the perfect colour and style to go with almost any casual spring outfit.

Designer Dress - the great thing about a second hand designer dress is that it is a fraction of its price new but is likely to have been well looked after and in good condition. This Notte by Marchesa Gown will really turn heads at parties, weddings and other events over the summer.

picture from Shopping and Goodies 

Its great to see so many blogs out there proving that you can be green and look gorgeous and raising awareness of the environmental issues that effect the fashion and beauty industries. Here are just a small selection of this weeks posts from our Green Chic Friends. Enjoy!

College Candy schools Fashion Pulse Daily on the fashion industry’s wasteful ways.
Guiltless & Glamorous continues its Welcome to the New Year series with a run-down of great cruelty-free hair products to introduce to your haircare regime in 2010.
Posh Swaps is excited that 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and explains how this is relevant to the fashion industry.
Shopping and Info loves the eco friendly Toms Shoes worn by Julia Roberts.

An interesting report entitled Well Dressed? and published by the University of Cambridge, Department for Manufacturing in 2006 explores the present and future sustainability of textiles in the United Kingdom. Most of us are probably aware that there are many issues surrounding the sustainability of the textiles industry in the UK but the report gives a really in depth and neutral look at the problems and identify the potential for significant and lasting change.

The report is highly relevant for consumers, media, business, education, government and campaigners and provides balanced evidence based information. Some of the key findings of the report in relation to the recycling of clothes are summarised below:

• The UK’s current behaviour in disposing of used clothing and textiles to landfill is not sustainable as volumes are growing.
• The second hand sector is growing and there is further demand so improved collection and sorting procedures will be beneficial in reducing waste and providing usable clothes to developing countries.
• Recycling is siginificant for materials with high impacts in the production phase.

According to the analysis in order to create change a consumer would:

• Buy second hand clothing and textiles where possible.
• Buy fewer more durable garments and textile products.
• When buying new products, choose those made with least energy and least toxic emmissions, made by workers paid a credible living wage with reasonable employment rights and conditions.
• Lease clothes that would otherwise not be worn to the end of their natural life.
• Extend the life of clothing and textile products through repair.
• Dispose of using clothing and textiles through recycling businesses who would return them for secondhand sale where ever possible but otherwise extract and recycle the yarns or fibres. 

Swapping, buying and selling second hand clothes is a great way of recycling and improving the sustainability of textiles. You can swap, buy and sell your second hand clothes for free on www.posh-swaps.com.