When Cassie Ridgway held her first clothing swap in Portland, Oregon, 14 years ago, she had a few goals: keep clothes out of landfills, help people find free fashion treasures and build community.The swap attracted about 150 people, and grew from there.Now, the twice-yearly event, which organizers call The Biggest Swap in the Northwest, draws between 500 and 850 participants to share clothes and accessories in a partylike atmosphere.“We have a DJ and two full bars, so there’s some singing and dancing.
But no one’s getting drunk at 1 p.m.on a Sunday afternoon,” said Ridgway’s co-founder, Elizabeth Mollo.The swap is part of a larger movement across the country to share resources with neighbors — one shirt, meal or book at time.The Portland event asks for a $10 entry fee to cover costs, but the clothes are free and there’s no limit to how much participants can take.
People bring their gently used clothing, shoes and accessories to a sorting station, where volunteers sort it into bins and onto tables.Ridgway, who worked in the apparel industry, sees the process as an answer to throwaway “fast fashion.” She describes “the ‘peak pile’ moment, when our sorters are summiting a mountain, a literal tonnage of apparel, sorting as quickly as they can.In this moment, we see the true ramifications of consumer culture and waste.”Leftover clothing is donated to another free neighborhood swapping event.Ridgway recalls a single mom telling her she was able to outfit her teenager with Nike shoes and other major brands typically outside her price range.
“These conversations, and so many others, have truly kept me coming back to this event,” she says.There are no dressing rooms, so participants are encouraged to come in tight-fitting clothes and try things on where they are.“It does get a little chaotic,” Mollo says, but many people return year after year.“Where else can you get a whole new wardrobe for $10?”As prices climb for many food items, c...