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.

If you are looking for a clothes swap party or swish for February, then look no further, here are some of the main events taking place this month.

Dolly Mixtures

11 Feb 2010 17:00

Venue: Electric Circus, 36-39 Market Street, Edinburgh.

DOLLY MIXTURES (weekly from 14th January, except 28th)
doors 5pm, £3 in advance, £6 on the door for the whole evening – call 0131 226 4224 for group bookings
Beat those January blues with high tea, cocktails, swishing/clothes swapping, tribute acts and party tunes till the wee hours.
Bring the girls along for some high tea nibbles, teapot cocktails or a nice bottle of wine and have a rummage through our stalls of vintage clothes, hand made jewellery and cute crafts. Bring along a quality unwanted item from your wardrobe and when the bell rings swish away!
Then settle in for a top night of entertainment! A sensational sing-along with a top tribute act every week, then kick off your shoes and have a dance with our party tunes dolly mixture djs till it’s time for bed. This is set to be the finest ladies night in town!
Live sets – 14/01 – Madonna, 21/01 – Robbie Williams, 4/02 – Abba, 11/02 – Kylie
Drinks from £1.50

University of the Arts London Student SwapShop

11 Feb 2010 18:00

Venue: UAL HUB, London

Fashion SwapShop
Thursday 11th February
HUB Davies Street
6pm-9pm

MA Fashion and the Environment students in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion host UAL SwapShop!

Presentation on the importance of reuse and swapping from TRAID,
Clothing customising workshops,
and for one night only in London - Mercatino Michela Italian Vintage Stall

If that second installment of student loan has gone already come and update your wardrobe the SwapShop way!

Save money, save the planet

Search your wardrobe for garments you never wear, bring them along, and swap them for ones you will wear and love! Come along any time with your unwanted clothing.

See you there!

Harpenden Frock Exchange

12 Feb 2010 19:00

Venue: St Nicholas Hall, Church Green, Harpenden

1st Harpenden Frock Exchange. Browsing starts 7.30pm, swishing starts 8.15pm prompt. Come along and join the fun!
£5 on door, includes glass of wine. In support of Cancer Research and Needy Young Persons Project.

Brighton Swish

13 Feb 2010 15:00

Venue: Latest Music Bar, 14-17 Manchester Street, Brighton, BN2 1TF

Bring styles and smiles for swopping joy.

FREE -3-7pm

We will have nutritionists, massage therapists, reflexologists and style consultants on hand for free feel good sessions and tips.

The first event of many.

Email: dibbosback@yahoo.co.uk

HARROGATE FROCK EXCHANGE

18 Feb 2010 19:00

Venue: PACA HARROAGTE

£6 admission fee

Free make overs and nail treatments on the night.

Ring 01423 505368 for more info

Email: info@pacaconcept.co.uk

Clothes Exchange and Competitive Cupcakes

20 Feb 2010 14:30

Venue: The HiFi Club, Leeds

Everyone has a collection of unworn shopping-spree residue that doesn’t fit but sits at the back of the wardrobes, crumpled and rejected. HiFi Club knows this and aims to provide an outlet for these unloved possessions by holding a swap shop on Saturday’s. £2 will get you into the first event on 20th February and from 2pm to 5.30pm people will be free to exchange what clean, well kept clothes they have with them.

If the prospect of new clothes wasn’t enough, HiFi are holding the Swap Shop in unison with a themed cupcake competition that will offer prizes to the top three cupcakes. This month’s theme is music - so if you can’t handle the wardrobe, get into the kitchen!

20 February, The HiFi Club, 2 Central Road, LS1 6DE, 0113 242 7353, 2pm-5.30pm, £2 (free with a cupcake entry). All bakers must register by emailing sophie@thehificlub.co.uk. For more information, visit the Facebook page by searching for ‘Clothes Exchange and Competitive Cupcakes’

Email: sophie@thehificlub.co.uk

The Happiness Centre Swish

21 Feb 2010 10:00

Venue: The Happiness Centre, 32a Leeds Road, Ilkley

Come to The Happiness Centre Swish in Ilkley. 10am-5pm. If you can drop off your clothes to swap before the event that would be great. £10 entry includes snacks & drinks Call 01943-601517 or email Gerda for more details. our website address is www.liftthespirithealthesoul.com

Email: info@liftthespirithealthesoul.com

Swapaholics Swishing Event, London

21 Feb 2010 13:00

Venue: Juno, 134-135 Shoreditch High Street, London

We’re back by popular demand. A nice civilised swishing event. You won’t end up feeling like you have just endured the worst sale shopping of your life.

We will be holding the swish at Juno, a cool bar in Shoreditch where you will be able to grab a spot of lunch from their great menu.

Bring a minimum of five items to swap CLEAN new or gently worn clothes, shoes, accessories or anything another woman would love.

No undies!!! (apart from the ones you are wearing, of course)

If everyone makes a pledge to bring these items, we are guaranteed to have a great time and go home happy bunnies

When you arrive we take your items and sort them into categories. You go into the bar and have a few drinks and a natter with your friends until browsing time commences.

Browsing time allows everyone to see what is available, try items on and see if you LOVE them. Then the swap rounds begin and you can take what you want for free. If two or more swappers want the same item, we hold a raffle and the winner is the lucky new owner. I will be available to give style advice to anyone who needs it.

All items left at the end of the event will be donated to charity.

This is a ticket only event. Tickets cost a credit busting fiver and need to be paid for in advance. We have limited number of tickets available so you need to grab one fast. Please go to www.raejames-personalstylist.com/page9.htm for more information and to purchase tickets.

For more details please contact me at
tracey@raejames-personalstylist.com

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.

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.

We are delighted to welcome some fashion bloggers to our online swap party in celebration of International Day of Swishing tomorrow. below are just some of the gorgeous items that have been listed so far. To see the full list of clothes to swap go to http://www.posh-swaps.com/swap.php?type=S

From Sherin of Hi Fashion

Pink plaid skirt

Pink Heart Necklace

Grey Denim Skirt

From Illustrator Claire

Wine Ruffled Jacket

From the Style Eyes Fashion Blog

Pink Jaeger Jacket

Cream studded leather handbag

Vintage style green beaded choker

A big thank you to all those fashion bloggers participating in tomorrows online swap party. For those who would like to join in, all you need to do is register with www.posh-swaps.com and add your clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories.

We would also like to thank the following fashion bloggers for their supports and mentions:

 Mizzj of Being High Maintenance Not Bitchy

Stephanie Grace Blog

Intrinsically Florrie

Posh-swaps.com will celebrate International Day of Swishing on 9th January 2009 with a free online swishing party. The party is open to anyone and everyone with the opportunity to list and swap as many clothes as they like for free. The phenomena of swishing or clothes swap parties have become hugely popular as they are fun, frugal and environmentally friendly. Online swapping is the perfect alternative to swishing for those who prefer to swap from the comfort of their own home.

9th January 2009 has been declared International Day of Swishing by Futerra Sustainability Communications and Lucy Shea founder of Swishing. The flagship event will be held at the Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel in London but for swappers all over the world who want to take part, there will also be an online swishing party at Posh-swaps.com on 9th December 2009.

Swappers can join the online party by registering with posh-swaps.com, before listing as many items of clothing as they like by uploading a photo, description and details. They can then browse swap items listed by others before proposing as many swaps as they like. The website is completely free to use including registering, listing, swapping buying and selling second hand clothes. Fashion Bloggers from all over the world will also be invited to attend and help promote sustainable style by listing their clothes.

International Day of Swishing is such a great opportunity to get people from all over the world online at once to swap clothes, have fun and promote sustainable style. It is also a great way to refresh your wardrobe for the New Year without spending money and swap any unwanted Christmas presents.

Attend the posh-swaps.com online swap by visiting www.posh-swaps.com to register and list your items of clothing on or before 9th January 2010.

A very happy New Year from Posh-swaps.com. We hope that you had a great 2009 and also look forward to lots if swapping in 2010. Here at Posh-swaps.com, we  have made a few changes to the way that you list items to make it even easier for you. You can now upload any size photograph and it will be resized to the required dimensions. Other plans for 2010 include more promotion of the site to increase out user base and the choice of clothes for swappers. We hope to promote eco fashion and sustainable style even more, keeping you up to date with the ultimate in guilt free style. We also hope to organise lots more fun clothes swap parties. Finally, we have no plans to introduce any fees throughout 2010 and beyond. Posh-swaps.com is still completely free to register, list, swap, buy and sell second hand clothes. Please let us know if you have any other ideas or feedback about the site.

The new year is a great time to swap clothes. Why not have a clear out of your wardrobe and swap anything that you no longer wear. If you have not worn something for over a year, then you will probably not wear it again.

If you have received clothes from well meaning friends and family that you just know you won’t wear, instead of leaving it hanging in your cupboard, why not swap it for something you will wear.

If your new years resolution is to lose weight, treat yourself to some new clothes in your new size by swapping your old clothes. A great new wardrobe to suit your figure for free.

Happy New Year and Happy Swapping!

9th January is the  first ever International Day of Swishing as announced by Futerra Communications, a UK sustainability communications agency on swishing.org. ‘Swishing’ is the term coined by Futerra Communications to describe clothes swap parties a phenomena that has become hugely popular all over the world. The dictionary definition of swishing is ‘to rustle as silk’ but the futerra definition is ‘to rustle clothes from friends’.

2010 looks likely to be a year where swishing will increase in popularity. It is a greay way to refresh your wardrobe without racking up debt on your credit card. It is also a great sustainable alternative to shopping, reducing the textile waste in landfill and the environmental impact of clothing manufacture.

To celebrate they will be throwing an eco-fabulous ‘Red Carpet Swish’ at London’s Swanky Andaz Hotel in Liverpool Street, London. At Posh Swaps, we will be celebrating the International Day of Swishing by hosting our own online swap party or swish. There is no exclusive guest list everyone is welcome to list and swap as many clothes as they like for free. We will also be inviting our favourite Fashion Bloggers to come along and join in the swap.