Reducing household waste is something most of us are familiar with, especially living in suburban Australia. We know the drill: separate your recyclables, bring your reusable bags to the shops, use up leftover food, take a refillable water bottle instead of buying plastic ones. Once new actions have now become ingrained as habits, as we all try to do our part in reducing waste. 

But then there’s clothes.  

In recent years, I’ve been trying to shift my mindset from seeing clothes as a fast fashion fix to stewarding garments for a time, before they find a new home.  

The problem is that life often gets in the way. Dealing with items I can no longer wear (or let’s be honest, no longer want to wear) is often in the too-hard basket. Ditto with boxes of clothes that my kids have grown out of, and that outfit I wore once to a fancy-dress party and never again.  

Part of the overwhelm comes from trying to tackle the problem of clothing waste on my own. But if we work together—with the community around us—it’s much easier to keep clothes in circulation for longer, and adopt a more sustainable approach to dealing with clothes when we no longer use them.  

If we work together . . . it’s much easier to keep clothes in circulation for longer.

Here are six ideas on how we can take a community approach to keep clothes in circulation for longer. 

1. Got A Special Event? Borrow From A Friend 

We’ve all been there—you get an invite to a wedding, fancy dress party or work cocktail event that requires an amazing outfit you don’t have. Instead of paying for an outfit that you’ll never wear again, ask a friend if they’ve got something you can borrow. You’ll save money while reducing the amount of clothes that end up in landfill. The same goes for job interviews (mum’s designer suit and handbag to the rescue!) 

2. Swap Across Life Stages 

Perhaps an idea for the parents: swap with a friend who’s in a different life stage to you. Returning to paid work after having children left me scrambling to find office-friendly clothes, as my old corporate outfits didn’t quite fit after years of comfy leggings and mum jeans. Thankfully, my neighbour was about to go on maternity leave and needed clothes for her new season of life. We spent a fun afternoon swapping her work wardrobe with my post-maternity clothes. A win for everyone! 

3. Hand Down Your Kids’ Clothes 

Nothing challenges my minimalist tendencies like clothing my kids! Children can go through clothes quickly because they often outgrow clothes in a matter of months. Handing down your gently used kids’ clothes to friends, family members or to other parents through online community groups in your suburb is a great way to keep items in circulation while helping another family out.  

4. Embrace Local Buy And Sell Groups 

I came to online buy, sell and give away groups late in life, but I’m now a huge fan. I follow a few in my local area, and it’s a great way to update my wardrobe sustainably, at a fraction of the price. Here’s a trick I learned: if there’s an item you need from a certain brand, try it on in the shops to get the correct size, then search online for a second-hand version. This not only saves you money, but keeps a garment out of landfill. 

5. Before You Bin It, Consider Your Options 

Got a top with a small tear or a pair of jeans that’s seen better days? Before you toss them in the bin, think about what else you could do with that item. Clothes can be mended (perhaps ask a friend if you don’t have the skills), repurposed (e.g. rags for cleaning or cloth strips to use as plant ties), given away, sold on Facebook, or recycled by a reputable textile recycler. Here are some tips to get you thinking. 

6. Host A Clothes Swap 

Hosting a clothes swap with friends is the perfect excuse to clear out those items and maybe score a few new-to-you pieces in the process. It’s a great option for mum’s groups and it’s a fun, social way to refresh your wardrobe without breaking the budget, and you’ll be doing your bit for the planet too. 

Baptist World Aid is inviting Aussies to fight overconsumption by hosting a clothes swap to turn October into Swaptober!  

Over 200,000 tonnes of clothing ends up in landfill each year (almost the weight of the Sydney Harbour Bridge), and overconsumption is having a detrimental impact on both people and planet.  

Swaptober is a fun way to get people together and start a conversation about ethical fashion with your friends, family, and people in your community, while doing something great for the planet.  

You’ll also have an opportunity to raise money for Baptist World Aid’s advocacy work and help end worker exploitation in the fashion industry.  

Find out more here.