Arts & Entertainment
Swap Till You Drop at Massive Clothing Exchange This Weekend in Chicago
Attendees shop the racks at a previous clothing swap. (Bernadette Aguilar)
Need a spring wardrobe refresh? Swap, don’t shop.
To combat textile waste, the Chicago Fair Trade Museum is hosting what it’s billing as “Chicago’s biggest community clothing swap,” Friday through Sunday.
Swaps are one way to reduce the 11 million tons of clothing the U.S. alone sends to landfills each year “by extending the life cycle of garments and reducing demand for new production,” according to Katherine Bissell Cordova, executive director of Chicago Fair Trade.
Want to swap or just donate items? Here’s how to participate.
To Attend
Tickets can be purchased online and range from $10 for general admission Saturday or Sunday — good for a three-hour time slot — to $39 for a “first dibs” preview night on Friday, which also includes refreshments. Chicago Fair Trade members receive discounted admission.
People can take home up to 10 items. Attendees can choose to: swap, donate without swapping, or take home without donating. Bring your own bag to tote home your new-to-you finds.
Hours are: Friday, 6-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To Donate
Bring items with you to the event, Chicago Fair Trade Museum, 4704 N. Broadway. Or drop off at the museum, noon to 5 p.m., through Saturday.
Other drop-off sites:
— The Unwaste Shop, 1108 W. Madison St.
— Ten Thousand Villages Evanston, 1509 Chicago Ave.
— Mata Traders, 5112 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Accepted Items
All types of clothing — for all ages, genders and sizes — as long as it's clean and in good condition. Organizers say a little wear and tear is OK but nothing that's hanging on by a thread.
Jewelry and accessories are also welcome.
Leftover clothing will either be used at future swaps or donated to local nonprofit organizations.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
