Sustainable Dawlish Clothes Swap - 22nd April 2023
The Clothes Swap will take place in the Council Chamber of The Manor House, Dawlish from 9.30 a.m. You are invited to bring up to 6 items of clean, wearable, best quality clothing / shoes /accessories that you no longer need, to swap for other donated items.
Registration
When you arrive between9.30 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. you will be provided with tickets representing the number of items you have brought. We will check the condition of the items and sort and lay them out or hang them with similar items ready for when the Clothes Swap begins at 11 a.m. We reserve the right to reject any items which do not meet the quality we require. During this time we will be selling refreshments or you may wish to explore the Manor grounds, or further afield in Dawlish Town Centre. Items will not be sorted by size, as sizing can vary with each brand. We will have a table or rail for each kind of garment- trousers, tops, shirts, skirts, jumpers, shoes and boots, accessories, etc. As long as items are in great condition we can accept them, except for underwear, swimwear, and sleepwear.
Clothes Swap 11.00 a.m until 1.00 p.m. - Refreshments available from Dawlish Fair Trade Friends.
When the Clothes Swap starts at 11 a.m. you will be able to choose the items you like the look of and exchange your tickets for them. We will set up separate male and female dressing screens, in case you wish to try something on, one person after another.
Please make sure if you bring your children along that they are supervised at all times. Also, if you or anyone you live with is exhibiting viral or Covid symptoms please do not attend. If you wish to purchase (for a nominal sum) any items that have not been chosen, you will have the chance to do this at the end of the Clothes Swap time. As we seek to operate a zero to landfill policy we will bag up any unsold items remaining and these will be donated to Charity.
Why is it important to SWAP NOT SHOP?
It has been calculated that the average UK household owns more than £4,000 worth of clothes almost half of which have not been worn for over a year. Fast Fashion has encouraged waste. In the UK we throw away up to 11 million items of clothing every week–at least 50% of which ends up in landfill where toxic chemicals from dyes leach into the ground water and soil. As the textiles slowly decay, methane gas ( an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and also linked to global warming, and extreme weather events) is created. It can take 200 + years for decomposition to take place. (Statistics provided by Oxfam, 2019) So with the support of Reuse / Recycle Devon, we want to give you the chance to revitalise your wardrobe without having to buy anything new. This not only saves on energy and raw materials associated with the manufacturing process and on distribution and transport of new items to reach you, but also reduces your carbon footprint and impact on our atmosphere and environment.
Devon has one of the best recycling rates in the country, currently 55.1%. Since 2002 the ‘Don’t let Devon go to waste’ campaign work has helped householders to reduce, reuse and recycle more and more of their waste. Today, Devon’s local authorities continue to collaborate with community groups to contribute to net zero carbon by focussing on reusing more textiles, plastics, metals, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and paper and card. Reusing an item rather than throwing it away can prolong its useful life, reduce the need for finite valuable resources and offer employment opportunities in repair and maintenance. It is a critical part of the circular economy and can lead to a reduction in carbon impact.