Fashion trends have always ebbed and flowed – from the prominent shoulder pads of the 1980s, to low-rise jeans of the early 2000s, fashion has always been fickle. In recent years however, the cycles of fashion have rapidly increased momentum, with many microtrends gaining popularity online and then ending up in landfill as quickly as refreshing an Instagram feed. Noticing this pattern, the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC), decided to build a community clothes swap model that could keep Perth locals looking fabulous, without the environmental price tag.
For many, fashion, and its ever-changing trends, is much more than dressing for the day – it’s a form of self expression and a way to fit into the crowd or stand out. As trends fade, wardrobes fill with unworn clothes that eventually find their way to landfill, causing an extreme amount of waste around the world.
This has become more prevalent in recent years as the rise of social media allows trends to move across the world quickly, sometimes lasting less than a season. Microtrends, which typically last for a shorter timeframe than the usual seasonal trend, are catching the interest of consumers online, are relatively well-priced and made accessible by fast fashion brands that can go from designing a new garment to selling it within weeks.
The Planet Ark Environmental Foundation reports that Australia is the second highest consumer of textiles in the world (on a per capita basis), with each Australian purchasing an average of 27kg of new clothing every year and disposing of a whopping 23kg of clothing to landfill.
Rapid textile consumption has been a growing waste stream for several years, and for councils looking to reduce waste and boost sustainability, the amount of landfill it causes is hazardous. The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) is an innovative regional local government that acts on behalf of five member Councils, all located in the eastern area of Perth.
These five councils are: Town of Bassendean, City of Bayswater, City of Kalamunda, Shire of Mundaring and City of Swan.
The EMRC supports these councils through providing waste management, resource recovery, environmental management and regional development services, working in collaboration with other stakeholders and government agencies. This focus on waste and environmental management heightened the EMRC’s interest in the textile industry, and the waste it creates.
In 2021, the EMRC’s Waste Education team focused their research on the fashion waste stream in Perth’s eastern region, in an effort to understand the textile industry and identify possible solutions to reuse and repurpose fashion items.
The result of this research is a community clothes swap model that not only encourages the recycling of clothing and curbing fast fashion, but also brings the community together.
Turning a concept into an initiative
Through the EMRC’s research a key concept and goal was identified – showing community members how to approach their wardrobe differently; to look stylish, while simultaneously reducing textiles’ consumption and their carbon footprint.
This concept was embedded into, and inspired, the EMRC Clothes Swap model, aiming to approach the issue from the beginning of clothing life (reducing the purchase of new clothing), instead of end of life.
The Clothes Swap Program was designed to increase awareness and catalyse the transition to a more circular approach to fashion in the region. The aim was also to benefit other communities, businesses and local governments in their approach to joining the circular economy revolution.
Kicking fast fashion to the curb
Following the creation of the Clothes Swap model, the team, in November 2021, launched a Trial Swap Shop at the EMRC’s workplace.
This included an educational program about textile waste and the standards required when ‘gifting’ preloved clothing. The trial was a great success, and the team seized the opportunity to organise more events for the community, spread the knowledge, and change people’s behaviour around textile waste.
The EMRC was also awarded a $20,000 WasteSorted grant to support circular economies in the community. The grant enabled EMRC to provide the community with a personal and pragmatic approach to circularity, through facilitating workshops and events that target the minimisation of food waste, single-use plastics and textiles.
Education an added bonus for shoppers
The Clothes Swap format focussed on education to break the ‘haul and hope’ mentality, engaging several speakers to introduce the issues at the beginning of each event before participants proceeded to the Swap Shop to embrace the practical aspect.
“The format was a great success and appreciated by the community and our member Councils,” a spokesperson from the EMRC said.
“The program’s success was possible thanks to our Earth Carers and community volunteers who helped curate the Clothes Swap and support attendees.”
The EMRC delivered four Clothes Swap events from February to June 2022 with a total of 356kg of clothes and accessories donated and 189kg rehomed.
Keeping the circular economy in motion
The EMRC continues to successfully run Clothes Swap workshops in partnership with its member councils, following extensive positive feedback.
The EMRC also offers other local governments and community groups the opportunity to loan the EMRC’s Clothes Swap Program, including the equipment and guidelines to run a successful clothes swap.
The success of the program continues to grow, with councils outside the region now inquiring on how to get involved.
If your community would like to be involved, contact the EMRC’s Waste Education team for more information at WasteEducation@emrc.org.au, and to learn more about future Swap Shop events, follow EMRC on Facebook or LinkedIn. The EMRC will also be hosting a Clothes Swap Program at the upcoming WA Waste and Recycle Conference.
