four options for
leftover items
repair
If there are items that are a
bit worn, or that don’t fit, try
customising or fixing them
to give them a new lease
of life.
donate
Charity shops are a great
place to take leftover items.
Use the Charity Retail
Association’s handy tool at
charityretail.org.uk/locator.
php to find your nearest shop.
re-use
If there are clothes and
shoes that are not fit for
purpose, can you reuse
them for something else? Try
the ‘furoshiki’ ideas inside this
pack for gift wrapping ideas,
or cut up old t-shirts to use as
cleaning cloths.
swishing
party pack
everything you need to hold your own
‘swishing’ clothes swap party
textile banks
There are plenty of textile
banks in your area and at
your local Household Waste
& Recycling Centre (the tip)
where clothes and shoes
can be taken for re-use and
recycling. To find your nearest,
visit recycleforlondon.com
Printed on 100% recycled paper
2nd edition, August 2013
2361.9
front cover of brochure
everything
you need to
hold your own
‘swishing’ clothes
swap party.
the average uk household
owns around £4,000 worth of
clothes, 30% of which have
not been worn for a year.
everything
you need to
hold your own
‘swishing’ clothes
swap party.
internal pages of brochure cover
contents
What is swishing?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Why swishing? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Planning your swishing party. . . . . . . . .
Inviting your swishers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Successful swishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
3
4
7
8
what is swishing?
Swishing is a way to have a clear out and get a whole
new wardrobe without spending any money. The
idea is to get together with friends and family to swap
clothes, accessories and shoes. This is how it works:
step 1
Decide who to invite, a venue (whose home
to use), and a date that suits everyone.
step 2 Ask everyone to look through their wardrobes
for good quality items they no longer wear (or have
never worn!).
step 3
Ask everyone to bring their pre-loved items
to the party and let the swishing begin. The aim is to
find new homes for all the donated items.
Swishing events
are also called
swap shops, clothes
swaps, frock
exchanges and
shwopping.
2
why swishing?
it saves you money
Swishing is a fun, free fashion activity. You can pick up
some fantastic new clothes without having to spend
any money. You can also save money by holding the
party in your own home rather than hiring a venue or
paying to go to an event.
it’s a great way to meet people
Planning your own swishing party provides the perfect
opportunity to invite your new neighbours over, get
to know fellow students or just get all your old friends
together. It is a great ice breaker when you move into
a new neighbourhood or if you’ve just started at
college or university.
it’s good for the planet
When we throw away textiles it is
a waste of the resources such as
energy and water that have gone
into producing and transporting
them. Clothes that are put into
our general rubbish can rot down
and create methane, a damaging
greenhouse gas. While recycling is a
better option for textiles, it still has an
impact on the environment which could
be avoided by reusing our textiles instead.
We throw away approximately
one million tonnes of clothing a year
– 50% of which ends up in landfill.
3
planning your
swishing party
who
First of all, decide who you
want to invite. Would it work
best with housemates, close
friends and family or would
you like to use the opportunity
to meet your neighbours
or get to know your fellow
students or work colleagues?
Involve everyone – both men
and women can swish!
when
Once you know who would
like to come, you can find out
when the best time is for them.
It might work well to hold it
on a week night
so that people
can pop in after
work, or make it
into more of a
party and hold it
at the weekend.
4
where
If you have enough space,
you might like to hold it in your
home. If not, you could ask
a friend to host the party, or
organise a lunch-time swish at
work. There is no reason why
you couldn’t hold the event
in a public place such as a
community centre, but don’t
forget there may be a charge
for hiring the venue.
how
There are a number of
different ways to organise
your swishing party. What you
decide may depend
on who is coming
and how much
time you will have.
There are three
suggestions on the
next page.
the simple swishing party
This one is fuss-free, open to everyone
and should ensure plenty of ‘stock’.
Ask everyone to bring any items they no longer want.
Neatly display similar items together and ask your guests
to browse and choose as many items as they like.
the specific swishing party
This is a good option if you are looking for a particular item.
Ask your guests to bring a specific type of item, e.g.
party dresses, suits, children’s clothes, maternity clothes,
accessories or shoes. You could hold a series of swishing
parties and choose a different type of item to swish
each time.
the special swishing party
This is the option to use if you have some special or
expensive items that you would be proud to pass on.
Ask your guests to bring at least one high quality item.
Give your guests one ‘token’ (e.g. button or ribbon) for
every item they bring. Allow your guests to browse and
when someone chooses an item, ask them to pay one
token for it.
5
optional extras
Once you’ve decided on the basic structure of your party,
there’s no limit to the extra activities you can provide for your
guests. Here are some ideas to keep your swishers smiling:
Ask a
friend who is
good at sewing
to do minor
repairs on the
day.
If you know
an aspiring makeup artist or style
consultant, ask if they
would like to provide
mini makeovers or
style advice at
the party.
ith
W
6
e
v
lo
om
fr
....
....
....
....
....
....
...
....
Make a
night of it – use
your Saturday
afternoon swish as a
way to meet up and
choose a new
outfit before a big
night out.
To complete
the personal
experience, provide
home-made tags to label
items (see template
at the back of this guide).
You may decide to do this
for all items, or just for
special pieces that are
donated.
inviting your swishers
When your planning is underway, it’s time to
send out your invitations. Start talking to people
as early as possible so that they can save the
date, and spread the word (make it clear
whether it is an invitation-only party, or whether
your guests can bring friends).
Send the invitations via email or social media
to save time and paper, or if you prefer to send
them through the post, photocopy the invitation
at the end of this guide.
Send a reminder a few days before
the event asking people to get their
pre-loved items ready and reminding
them what they can bring.
7
successful swishing
Here are some top tips for a great swishing party:
Make sure there is a mirror, and if possible,
a changing area available.
ive a little introduction at the beginning of the
G
party, explaining whether you will use a certain
system, and set some ground rules.
sk your guests to be polite and share, items are
A
taken on a ‘first come, first served’ basis!
ave a camera ready on the day to take
H
photos of people with their swished items.
To take the stress out of the planning, use the
checklist at the back of this pack.
We’d love to hear how your
party goes, so send us your
comments and share your
party photos via email
[email protected],
or on Twitter @wiseuptowaste
using the hashtag #swishing
or Facebook/wiseup2waste
8
four options for
leftover items
repair
If there are items that are a
bit worn, or that don’t fit, try
customising or fixing them
to give them a new lease
of life.
donate
Charity shops are a great
place to take leftover items.
Use the Charity Retail
Association’s handy tool at
charityretail.org.uk/locator.
php to find your nearest shop.
re-use
If there are clothes and
shoes that are not fit for
purpose, can you reuse
them for something else? Try
the ‘furoshiki’ ideas inside this
pack for gift wrapping ideas,
or cut up old t-shirts to use as
cleaning cloths.
swishing
party pack
everything you need to hold your own
‘swishing’ clothes swap party
textile banks
There are plenty of textile
banks in your area and at
your local Household Waste
& Recycling Centre (the tip)
where clothes and shoes
can be taken for re-use and
recycling. To find your nearest,
visit recycleforlondon.com
Printed on 100% recycled paper
2nd edition, August 2013
2361.9
front cover of brochure
everything
you need to
hold your own
‘swishing’ clothes
swap party.
swishing party pack
pre-swish checklist
Take the stress out of planning the party
with this simple pre-swish checklist.
Find a suitable date and time
Decide on a venue
Decide which type of swishing party to have
(options on page five)
Invite your swishers using the invite in this pack. Send
it via email, Facebook, Twitter or through the post
Look through your wardrobe for pre-loved
items you want to swish
Decide on any ‘optional extras’ on page six
Send your guests a reminder
Make gift tags using the template in this pack
Set up a mirror and changing area
Get refreshments ready if you are providing them
Have a camera ready and ask one of your
guests to be in charge of taking photos
Share your party photos with us via
Facebook/wiseup2waste, Twitter @wiseuptowaste
using the hashtag #swishing, or via email
[email protected]
Follow the tips on the back of this pack for dealing
with any leftover items
swishing party pack
furoshiki instructions
Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese method of carrying clothes, gifts and goods by wrapping
them instead of using a carrier bag.
If you have leftover scarves or pretty fabrics at the end of your party, try some of these
clever ideas for using the fabric as a waste-free gift wrap.
For more information and a video about furoshiki, visit recyclenow.com/furoshiki
Attach these tags to any
items that are being swished,
or save them for special,
high quality items that you
are proud to pass on, to show
the receiver that they are
getting something special.
Cut out the templates below to
make your tags, and if you need
more, make them out of cardboard
from empty packaging. Use plain
string, or remnants of coloured
ribbon with safety pins to attach
them to the clothes.
make your own gift tags
With love from ...............................
Ask your guests to
write their own
labels by hand for
the items they are
donating to give a
personal feel
to the party.
get new clothes
and save money
– come swishing!
What is swishing?
Swishing is a way to have a clear out and get a whole new
wardrobe without spending a penny! The idea is to get together
with friends and family to swap clothes, shoes and accessories.
You are warmly invited to my swishing party
When:
Where:
Please RSVP to:
What to bring:
Please make sure all items to be swished are clean and presentable.
furoshiki bag idea
Why not use a spare scarf or square piece of fabric to make a
‘furoshiki’ bag to bring your pre-loved clothes to the party and
then take away your swished items in it?
Follow these simple instructions to make your own quick
shoulder bag – no sewing required.
1
Place your clothes in the centre of the fabric
2
Tie the corners on one side into a knot
3 Tie the corners on the other side into a knot so that
you have two knots
4
Sling the bag over your shoulder and come to the party
To watch a video about furoshiki,
visit recyclenow.com/furoshiki
For more information about reusing textiles, and
to order a free swishing party pack to host your
own party, visit wiseuptowaste.org.uk/swishing