The Art of the Clothing Swap
Do you enjoy fun in the sun, clothing discovery, sustainably-sourced materials, and an interactive, vibrant community space? If you answered yes, consider beginning or participating in a Clothing Swap! When embarking on your thrifting journey, it can feel daunting configuring where to shop and what styles you are drawn to; that’s why clothing swaps present positive, exploration-based spaces to bond with others and discover new beloved pieces, without contributing to fast fashion cycles!
The beauty of a clothing swap is in the exchange; through bringing clothing pieces from your past, you are able to then interchange a piece with someone else’s pre-loved article, providing a wonderful and intimate sustainable alternative, without spending a dime! Being able to contribute to and shop within community-oriented spaces allows for an intentional mindset when it comes to shopping; interacting directly with other swappers, meticulously and lovingly searching for clothing you wouldn’t find in a brick and mortar establishment, and consciously trading what you’ve brought with what you’ve found perpetuates a beautiful way out from a cycle of constantly purchasing new items!
The lively city of Los Angeles boasts a number of wonderful clothing swaps and locations to begin your second-hand expeditions! Take Radical Clothes Swap (@radicalclothesswap on Instagram) a mutual-aid-based nonprofit aimed at spreading awareness on sustainable fashion, providing a system for accessible and free clothing for all! This network was founded in 2021, and is run by a team of four women of color from the Los Angeles area; Radical Clothes Swap organizes an impressive 12 locations for clothing swaps across the city, and additionally hosts a number of wonderful, community-based activities, free of charge. These include discursive panels (with an upcoming event, on August 16th, titled Dress Code: Style as Power, Creativity, and Protest), community jam sessions, Regenerative Flea Markets (as a hybridized activity with multiple clothing swaps, educational panels on restorative clothing mending, among other events!) and more! The next prominent clothing swap comes soon, on August 13th, under the title Survivor Made Market held in Downtown Los Angeles, with over 30 vendors! This special upcoming swap is partnering with the 2025 Survivor Wealth Summit, equipping survivors, advocates, and movement builders with a healing, community space!
The next pivotal clothing swap space to watch is The Good Loop, denoted an eco-minded clothing swap. Begun in 2019, this collective space has supported 15 clothing swaps within the Los Angeles area (as well as within San Diego and Long Beach), and publicizes its events on Instagram, @the_good_loop. The Good Loop’s website and digital profiles are highly interactive, showcasing RSVP links for upcoming clothing swaps, volunteer opportunities, and guidelines for each swapper (a recent post detailed bringing at most 10 pieces of clothing, signing in and adequately RSVPing, and hanging up selected items= on a personal rack, for others to swap with!) After each event, The Good Loop’s social media team presents an Impact Report; for example, a recent swap meet (located in Venice, California, on May 17th) showcased 600 RSVPs from the community, roughly 6,000 items saved from the landfill, and a surplus 500 gallons of clothing donated to a local center. The Good Loop, like the Radical Clothes Swap, supports a positively-inclined collective; look to their digital spaces for upcoming events!
