April 25, Clothes Swap

The Swedish Chamber’s Young Professionals would like to thank everyone who joined or donated clothes to the Clothes Swap focusing on April 25! The evening included an insightful presentation from Andrea Orsag on circular fashion, a successful Clothes Swap, mingling with snacks and drinks, and professional and ethical styling from the inspiring Ashna Chhatta.

We had a great time meeting so many members interested in sustainability, wanting to learn more about the fashion industry, and seeing the guests walking home with newly swapped items. We were also very happy to organise this interactive and fun evening with our collaboration partner Edge Workspaces!

Key takeaways and recommendations on circular fashion from Andrea Orsag

• Fashion has many problems, the biggest one being overconsumption
• We already have enough clothes to dress the next six generations. Therefore, we need circularity to get the best out of what is available
• Circular fashion starts with design – what are the materials used, how are they combined, good quality, ethical – only that way will we be willing to see the value of our clothes
• Only once we see clothes as valuable are we willing to take care of them and pay for repairs and alternations to extend their life
  Secondhand and resell platforms are a great idea and source of clothes items as long as we do not use them to ease our guild of buying fast fashion (Shein, Fashion Nova, Primark, Bohoo etc.) to place it there a moment later simply
• If we feel good about ourselves (both mentally and physically) we feel better in our clothes and are less likely to use “shopping therapy” as a solution to our problems. Rather than shopping, let’s invest in ourselves (find your style and explore what makes you happy, invest in mentoring, coaching, books, gym, yoga, building relationships, and enjoying small and big adventures) to enjoy life more
• Quality over quantity
• All the data and information is out there, we can’t pretend we didn’t know anymore. Spread the word and grow your “bubble”
• Let’s avoid the next Rana Plaza incident, protect our environment and focus on what really matters
• Overall, let’s get the best out of the clothes we already have, rent, swap, borrow, repair, and repurpose!

Want to learn more find circular fashion brands?

Check out Vestiaire Collective and Nudie Jeans!

Andrea Orsag, Circular Economy & Sustainability Evangelist and Ashna Chhatta, Ethical Fashion Stylist

All unswapped clothing items were donated to the organization Dress for Success.

Dress for Success gives people who need it a set of appropriate and representative clothing free of charge. Dress for Success is a global organization, founded and run by volunteers, that helps low-income men and women get a free job application outfit. The mission of Dress for Success is to empower people to achieve economic independence, with a support network, professional attire, and the development of skills to function better in their work and personal lives. Click here to learn more about their work.