Restyle Used Clothing at D-I-Y Swaps
Redesign Old Clothes and Recycle Them into Updated Indie Fashions
May 15, 2009
Old clothes play a surprisingly large part in the world’s ever-growing garbage problem. Americans alone generate nearly 12 million tons (over 11 billion kg) of textile waste a year. That adds up to nearly 35 pounds (16 kg) of textile waste per person per year, and represents almost 5% of the total amount of waste that gets sent to municipal landfills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Do-It-Yourself Clothing Swaps Combine Recycling with Creativity
Do-it-yourself clothing swaps take a good idea—passing on clothes you no longer need to someone else who will enjoy wearing them—and make it better by adding a new creative dimension. D-I-Y swappers redesign and personalize their clothes, turning swapping into a new form of self-expression.
Swap-O-Rama-Rama Offers D-I-Y Workshops, On-Site Fashion Show
The grandmother of all do-it-yourself swaps is Swap-O-Rama-Rama, a clothing swap that has been offered in cities across the United States, plus Canada and Panama. The way the swap works is simple. Each attendee brings a bag of used clothing to donate, then picks items to restyle from the pile of other people’s donations.
The organizers offer workshops by local artists on how to repair and modify used clothes with sewing, embroidering, beading, knitting, silk screening, iron-on transfers, and other creative techniques. Sewing machines and all the materials needed to work on remaking old clothes are supplied. Swap-O-Rama-Ramas also offer a fashion show where attendees can walk the runway and get audience feedback on their new creations, and a forum for swappers to share stories about the used clothing they brought to the swap.
The goal is to take a stand against throwaway culture and celebrate each community’s ability to be creative about recycling clothing that would otherwise end up in the landfill.
How to Organize a D-I-Y Used Clothing Swap
If there isn’t a Swap-O-Rama-Rama in a city near you, why not organize your own restyle and recycle clothing swap? Here’s how to get started:
- Send out invitations. Aim for a group of 5-15 people (depending on the size of the space where you will hold the swap.)
- Ask each guest to bring 7-10 items of clothing, plus any supplies they’d like to contribute for altering and embellishing their “new” clothes.
- Get the swap space ready. You’ll need to set up several different stations, each with a sign so your guests will know what to do:
- Dining table or a large clear space to spread out the clothing and accessories they bring to swap.
- (Optional) clothing rack to hang swappable items.
- Changing area with full-length mirrors for trying on clothes. A bedroom is good for this.
- Alteration station with sewing machine, cutting mat, scissors and rotary cutter, needles and threads, fabric paints, permanent markers, and embellishments such as buttons, sequins, crystals, ribbons, stamps, fabric, fusible web (to make D-I-Y iron-ons), and whatever other supplies you and your guests want to contribute.
- (Optional) a stack of fashion magazines for inspiration.
- Music and refreshments.
- Bags for people to carry home their new treasures.
Ideas for Altering and Renewing Used Clothing
- Dress up any item of clothing by adding buttons, sequins, beads, or crystals. Swapped accessories like pins and earrings can be used for embellishments.
- T-shirts are easy to alter by tearing or cutting, since they don’t unravel at the edges. A t-shirt can be modified at the neckline, turned into a camisole, made into a tank top by removing the sleeves, or dressed up with pin tucks around the neck.
- Iron-on appliqués can give a skirt or sweatshirt a completely new look. They’re easy to make with fabric ironed onto double-sided fusible web.
- Use stamps, paints, and markers to “tattoo” plain clothes with new images. If you do this, you’ll need to have an area where wet paint and ink can dry without getting on other people’s clothing.
Going to a clothing swap can be both fun and rewarding: swappers get rid of clothes they no longer want and take home "new" clothes they love. D-I-Y swaps offer even more ways to enjoy the fun of giving, receiving, and creating with clothes.
See what else is going on in Sewing and Needlework at Suite 101.
