Three Sustainable Words: Lucky Sweater Swap

When it comes to sustainability in our closets, we often hear the same advice:

1. Wear What You Have
2. Mend, Repair, and Care for your clothes
3. Shop Secondhand First
4. Shop small, sustainable brands when shopping for something new
5. Borrow or Swap

This advice is repeated because it really is solid advice. We need to change our way of thinking when it comes to our wardrobes. For the past decade the message fast fashion brands have put out there is “You need something new.” “Buy now, it’s cheap!” “Buy this item and you will be stylish.” We need a new approach, so we repeat these sustainable closet tips over and over and hope they will become the new norm. 

Clothing swaps are becoming increasingly more popular. They are a great way to refresh your wardrobe without consuming anything new and without spending any money. However, it can also be one area many folks struggle with. The idea of a clothing swap is great but the execution can be a bit tricky. What if all your friends aren’t the same size as you? What if you’re bringing expensive, slow fashion brands to the swap, while others are bringing old fast fashion? What if you only wear natural fabrics but it’s mainly synthetics at the swap? Tricky, right? Now, what if I told you there’s an app for that?  Cue Lucky Sweater. The Lucky Sweater App is a community clothing swap in your pocket. On Lucky Sweater you can check out thousands of items up for trade in their clothing swap communities. You can discover vintage treasures, handmade items and even craft supplies. The best part? The clothing listed are items from slow fashion brands like Elizabeth Suzann, Nettles Tale, Arq, Boheme, Beaton Linen, Free Label and more! It’s a clothing swap for the slow fashion community. You can narrow down your searches for swaps by size, category, and even list items you are in search of. This is perfect for folks who are looking to swap something beautiful and of quality for something else of equal beauty and quality. There are also stunning and unique vintage pieces + “Me Made Items” which connect makers as well as sharing handmade items and supplies. Most recently, Lucky Sweater has made it so Canada can now participate in buying and selling events, along with swapping on the Lucky Sweater App.

If you are looking for more reasons to join the swap community, here are three of the many benefits to clothing swaps. 

1. You can find more unique items. If you’re someone who is curating a wardrobe to look like you and represent your personal style, seeking out a clothing swap can be a great way to trade something that doesn’t represent your style while selecting something that does. Fast Fashion brands and trends cultivate conformity. Secondhand and swapping cultivates individuality.
2. Cost effective. The only expense for the Lucky Sweater swaps is the price of shipping your trade. For the cost of postage you can have a beautiful new-to-you item to style. 
3. Planet Friendly. It takes a lot of energy and water to manufacture new clothing. By keeping clothing in circulation longer and extending the life of the garment by it continuing to be worn, you significantly lower the carbon footprint of that clothing item. You are also helping reduce textile waste. It’s estimated that the average person, living in the Global North, throws away 70 pounds of clothing and textiles each year. Swapping helps keep garments out of landfill.

To learn more about how to trade on Lucky Sweater, you can visit their Trading 101 Page here.