– Alison Howes set up a clothing exchange in Toowoomba to offer affordable baby clothes to parents in need.– Clothing exchanges are growing in popularity due to the increasing cost of living.– The service also helps reduce clothes that go to landfill.– People receive credit for bringing in unwanted clothing, which they can use to purchase other items.– Social media has played a role in boosting the reach of clothing exchanges.– The demand for clothing exchanges has increased across different age groups.– Many people are choosing to participate in clothing exchanges to be more sustainable and save money.
The past six months for Alison Howes have been “full of chaos” and late nights, but it has been worth it to be able offer affordable baby clothes to parents in Toowoomba.
Key points:
Clothing exchanges are growing in popularity due to cost of living increasesExperts say the service also has the added benefit of reducing clothes that go to landfillPeople using clothing exchanges say there is a cost benefit in swapping unwanted clothes
Ms Howes set up a clothing exchange in January after seeing a need in her community.
“There’s a lot going on [for parents] – just lots of pressures at the moment, reduced incomes, extra expenses, it’s a lot,” she said.
“It’s really growing in popularity because the cost of living is getting very high and we need options like this.”
Run out of Ms Howes’s home, people receive credit for bringing in unwanted clothing, which they can then use to purchase other items.
“I’m blown away when I go to normal retail shops and see the prices of things — you need to clothe your children,” Ms Howes said.
“[Parents] are absolutely loving it — lots of oohs and ahhs and looking at all the cute little outfits for the kids.”
Mother of two Cassandra Layton said there was cost-benefit in using the service.
Cassandra Layton likes shopping at the clothing exchange.(ABC Southern Qld: David Chen)
“I like the fact that you can come in and exchange the small baby sizes for larger sizes when your kids grow,” she said.
“It just saves having to continuously buy items that aren’t going to get used again.”
Increasing demand
While clothing exchanges have been around for decades in Australia, experts believe social media is boosting their reach.
“We see that with adult clothes as well — there’s more stores popping up for resale of good quality clothes,” RMIT fashion lecturer Georgia McCorkill said.
“It just makes sense to expand that also to children’s wear.”
People can bring in unwanted clothing and swap it for other items.(ABC Southern Qld: David Chen)
Organisers of the Clothing Exchange, a group that has been running in Melbourne and Sydney since 2004, said they had seen increased demand from a range of age groups.
“They want to be more green, they want to be sustainable, and they don’t want to be spending money on clothing,” national director Kirsten Fredricks said.
“In Sydney, we have a mother that comes in – she says she hasn’t actually spent any money on clothing for the last 10 years for her whole family.
“So that means they can put all the money on…
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In Toowoomba, Alison Howes has been working tirelessly for the past six months to provide affordable baby clothes to parents in need. She set up a clothing exchange in January after recognizing the growing need for affordable options in her community. The cost of living has been increasing, putting pressure on parents who are facing reduced incomes and additional expenses. The clothing exchange offers a solution for these parents, allowing them to receive credit for bringing in unwanted clothing, which they can then use to purchase other items.
The popularity of clothing exchanges is on the rise, not only due to the increasing cost of living but also because of the added benefit of reducing clothes that would otherwise end up in landfills. Experts believe that social media has played a significant role in boosting the reach of clothing exchanges. Just as there has been a rise in stores for the resale of good quality adult clothes, it only makes sense to expand this concept to children’s wear as well.
One of the advantages of using a clothing exchange, as highlighted by Cassandra Layton, a mother of two, is the cost-benefit it offers. Parents can exchange small baby sizes for larger sizes as their children grow, saving them from continuously buying items that will not be used again. This not only saves money but also reduces waste.
The demand for clothing exchanges is increasing across different age groups. The Clothing Exchange, a group that has been operating in Melbourne and Sydney since 2004, has reported a surge in interest. People are becoming more conscious of the need to be green and sustainable, and they are looking for alternatives to spending money on new clothing. Some individuals, like a mother in Sydney, have managed to avoid spending any money on clothing for their entire family for the last 10 years by utilizing clothing exchanges.
Alison Howes’ clothing exchange in Toowoomba is just one example of the positive impact these initiatives can have on communities. By providing affordable options and reducing waste, clothing exchanges are becoming a popular choice for parents and individuals looking for sustainable alternatives. With the increasing demand and the support from social media, clothing exchanges are likely to continue growing and making a difference in the lives of many.
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