What got me started?
In the past, I was often buying more than I needed. Before I knew it, I ended up with a ton of clothes that get simply chucked aside after a couple of wears. Until, I discovered clothes swapping. It’s a simple yet beneficial practice: You exchange your old clothes for pre-loved ones. It’s a fun way to refresh my wardrobe without expanding it or throwing any clothes away. This requires me to be creative with my styling, as I have to work with what I find. Sometimes, it even feels like a treasure hunt!
What was your first project?
I took up a module in school which deepened my understanding of our relationship with nature and the environment. It was then that I came to understand the impact that excessive clothes consumption has on our world.
I began making green changes to my lifestyle to enable myself to go waste-free and minimise my negative impact on the environment. One of my discoveries was a clothes-swapping event at a sustainability festival in January 2018.
Now, instead of buying new clothes, I opt for second-hand ones from sustainable fashion shops. I am even thinking of holding a clothes swap with friends and families for Hari Raya Puasa, to encourage others to swap for new Raya outfits rather than purchase them!