Big response to Coast clothing swap

Clothing swaps have taken off as a way to refresh your wardrobe, and one is being held in Whangaparaoa on November 30.

The idea is that you exchange clothes that you no longer wear with other people.

The swaps started off with small and informal exhanges at swapmeet parties or between friends but now large, public clothes swaps can attract hundreds of bargain hunters.

Not only popular for affordability, clothing swaps also make good environmental sense, preventing unwanted clothing going into landfill.

A clothing swap next weekend in Manly looks likely to draw a crowd. Organiser Sharna Salthouse says a large number of clothes have already been dropped off, and more than 300 people responded when they saw the event posted on social media.

Sharna, a real estate agent with Telos Group, says she has always shopped second hand and loves it because it’s a cheaper and more sustainable way to go.

“These days there are so many clothes we don’t wear any more, and leave at the back of our wardrobe,” she says. “Normally I donate them to Hospice but this way you can recycle – and get something back.”

The event will be held at the Whangaparaoa Community Hub, 707 Whangaparaoa Road, on Saturday, November 30, 10.30am-2.30pm.

Tables will be set up according to clothing size to make things easy to find. Volunteers will be there to help.

You can swap every piece of clothing that you bring (in good, clean condition) for another piece.

Alternatively you can pay $3 per item with the money going to the Community Hub. You can bring along as many items as you want, but the maximum anyone can take away is 10 pieces.

Clothes can be dropped off before the event, or brought along on the day. Info: look for Whangaparaoa Clothing Swap on Facebook.