Element Hotels, leaders in eco-friendly accommodations for the conscious traveler, are hosting The Element Exchange pop-up experience to encourage communities to participate in exchanging, rather than shopping for clothes on National Secondhand Wardrobe Day.

National Secondhand Wardrobe Day is observed annually across America on August 25th in an attempt to bring awareness to the issue of widespread clothing waste. If you’re looking for a  way to participate in cutting down on clothing waste and making fewer fast fashion purchases, then we suggest heading down to secondhand stores in your neighborhood, or, better yet, participating in a clothing swap, like The Element Exchange taking place at all Element Hotels across the United States.  

According to Marlon Whyte, Global Brand Leader for Element Hotels, the brand’s mission is geared toward “promoting balance and wellness to our eco-savvy guests.” There are currently 32 hotels across the globe, with 84 more in development, and they’re the perfect retreat for conscious, healthy, active, travelers on extended stays.

The Element Exchange experience — the pop-up clothing swap — is a practical and creative solution, especially since, according to Whyte, “Clothes are one of the most frequent items purposefully left behind in hotel rooms.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “85 percent of all discarded textiles – 13 million tons – are sent to U.S. landfills every year.  In addition, it takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton t-shirt. That is enough for one person to stay hydrated for 900 days,” Whyte notes.

With millions of tons of discarded clothing and textiles each year,  The Element Exchange felt that through the brand’s commitment to its “sustainable and health-conscious mission and roots,” raising awareness of this “massive environmental impact” is the logical choice.

For those who wish to attend, Whyte said of the Element Boston Seaport location, “attendees will be able to enjoy sustainable bites in the courtyard and sample organic wine through a sustainable and automated wine cart while they ‘shop’.”

And beyond the perks of conscious tastings, “The event will see Boston-based clothing upcycling partners helping guests give their items of clothing a new life. Ministry of Supply, Boston-founded maker of performance dress clothes that supplies underprivileged adults with clothing for the workplace and job interviews, will be on-site for attendees interested in shopping and upcycling through their one-in, one-out initiative.”

The Element Exchange pop-up experience is is taking place at every Element Hotel across the U.S. and does not require you to be a guest of the hotel.

“Element Hotels are very committed to helping to reduce clothing waste while educating guests and locals alike on the effects of fast fashion on the environment,” says Whyte. “The donation bins that we will be setting up as part of the Element Exchange will remain in all of our hotels in perpetuity, giving guests and locals the opportunity to continue to dispose of their clothes in a sustainable manner after the event is finished.”

When it comes to what attendees should bring to the clothing swap, Whyte says they will “welcome any type of garment, textile or clothing that is in good condition.” Now is the perfect time to discover some new fall pieces, or run into something that will be perfect for next summer.

We suggest getting a small group of your friends on board, because the more variety in your dress sizes, the better, and making a day (or overnight) of it. Clothes, wine, and good friends together with Element Hotels for a good cause…what’s not to love?

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If you’ve ever fantasized about scoring designer duds or great looking clothes for free, then a clothing swap party is your dream come true!

Imagine clearing out your closet only to make room for pieces that fit your persona even more than the last. Believe it or not there’s actually a name for that, and it’s called a clothing swap. Women (and occasionally men) get together and bring their finest duds (and sometimes accessories and household goods, but more on that later) in order to trade with their friends and family, scoring some seriously great looking stuff.

Oh yeah, did I mention it’s free?!  

A clothing swap party may be something you’ve heard about, but never experienced, or something you’ve attended, but never thought you could host yourself. And even if holding a shindig isn’t in the stars for you, you’ll at least know all the ins and outs if you ever find yourself as an invitee.

In order to give you the best advice possible, I’ve teamed up with not one, but two fabulous expert swappers who were kind enough to share their experiences and tips on how to have a stellar clothing swap (or be one heck of a participant).

Why Swap Clothes?

The Council for Textile Recycling reports that textile waste accounts for five percent of all landfill space, and that the average citizen throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles each year. In an attempt to combat this travesty, clothing swap parties have become a viable way to not only reduce waste, but to curb fast fashion spending while also saving you some serious money.

On top of all that already great stuff, it’s also the perfect excuse to get together with your girlfriends! Taryn Hipwell, founder of Beyond the Label, and clothes swapper aficionado, fondly recounts one of her first party experiences.

“I remember the first time I heard about a clothing swap. It was about ten years ago,” she says.

‘By the end of the week I had already invited all my friends (and so did my sister). Twenty women with all different body types showed up. My sister and I lived in a two-bedroom apartment and we literally had to lay out the clothing in every room on every bed, chair, table and inch of floor. There was wine involved. When I yelled ‘Go!’ there was a lot of running, shouting and half naked women ravaging through the piles of treasures.”

What’s Different?

At first glance this may not seem much different than hitting your local thrift store, but there’s so much more to gain (and give) when you opt for a clothing swap party over secondhand shopping.

“When you surround yourself with others who share your values, you’re more likely to maintain that momentum and let it impact other areas of your life as well,” says Jill Ettinger, Senior Editor of EcoSalon, and expert clothes swapper. “When you hear a woman say how thrilled she is about something another woman was just hoarding in her closet, it really makes you feel happy for them both–the letting go and the joy of discovery are experiences we just don’t get at Forever21. There’s not just a sustainability aspect to swapping, there’s a real magic to it as well.”

Who Should Go?

Not everyone is going to be the same size at a clothing swap party, which is why it’s important to diversify your guest list so that the size 4, size 8, and size 12 have others to exchange with. Choose trusted members of your circle, or create a Facebook or Meetup clothes swap group as Jill suggests. She says this way “you can announce your needs ahead of the swap, like ‘really looking for a pencil skirt, size 8,’” and hopefully your comrades will come through before the event.

It’s up to you whether you want it to be a girls only night or a co-ed event, but inviting people who understand the rules set forth for your particular party is a must. In addition to following the rules, you may find that you break some of your own. As Jill pointed out, “What’s also nice is that a same-size swapper might have a different style than your normal go-to style, which can encourage you to be a bit adventurous and try on a new look.”

What Should I Bring?

Opinions may differ greatly when it comes to this question, so ultimately it’s up to you as the host to set forth what is desired, or the swap’s theme if you’re just attending. Sometimes it’s clothes-only, other times accessories, shoes, and handbags are allowed, and some swaps are free-for-alls when it comes to the theme.

Taryn has this mantra, “Some people may request that you only bring gently used clothing in good condition. I encourage people to bring the good, the bad and the ugly too.” She has a ritual of donating the leftover clothing from the swap, and if it’s unwearable, it goes to a place called I:CO (or I Collect) where “the bad and the ugly can be ground up and made into carpet padding and insulation.”

Jill feels much the same way in that if it’s not in great condition, then you need to have a plan for how to properly donate less than savory items (or be kind to your host and leave them at home). She says, “While there may be slight differences or rules to a swap, generally you want to bring your best stuff. If it’s ripped, stained, or just a completely exhausted piece of clothing, turn it into rags or another DIY, rather than landfill it.”

And she notes it’s important to try and fine those alternate uses for unwearables rather than pack them up for a Goodwill run.

“Don’t send your tattered un-wearables to thrift stores, either,” says Jill. “Because the fast fashion industry is producing so much low-quality stuff, thrift stores are over capacity and often with the unwearable, ripped, and stained stuff.”

You’ll be happy to know that that season doesn’t matter, so bring those sweaters in the spring, and tanks in the winter. If it’s a great piece, the weather won’t affect its tradeability.

Where Should I have It?

Both Taryn and Jill have expressed that solo hosting can be tough — there’s a lot of prep involved — so if you’re going to have it at your house, which is a great (and free) option, then you may want to turn it into a co-hosted clothing swap party. Setting everything up can be a bit much, but if you think of the community building, friendship nurturing, and do-gooding that’s being forged by your efforts, you’ll probably find that it’s totally worth it.

Taryn suggests being super organized by creating space for piles, moving furniture, and making signs for different categories, like pants, skirts, jackets, etc. She also recommends including liberal amounts of wine — not only is it the perfect ice breaker, but it can really get your guests feeling giddy and excited. Rock, paper, scissors is something she’s familiar with utilizing during a swap, as it can be the deciding factor when two women want the same thing.

Jill recommends using social media to get the word out about your event, and to give guests time (around three to four weeks) to clear their schedules. She says eight to ten people are needed to comprise a successful home-based swap, but you can have large (100+ people) swaps at community centers. Whatever you decide, don’t forget the refreshments, and some time to shop for yourself — like Jill says, “Nothing’s worse than hosting a swap and not coming away with something special for yourself!”

Swap During the Holidays?

The holidays may be a busy time — perhaps too busy to plan a clothing swap (although this seems like a great family gathering theme in lieu of presents), but as Jill pointed out, these events are superb ways to kick off the New Year. Host yours in January so you can clean out that closet (resolution #1), work on being more stylish (resolution #2), and save some money (resolution #3).

Taryn has great suggestions on how to turn a holiday clothing swap into a charitable event, so pre-plan for next year (or anytime, really). She recommends contacting your local shelter to create a swap based around others’ needs, hosting a holiday party themed swap to collect prom or homecoming dresses for girls who need them, or having a business clothing themed swap for an organization like Dress for Success.

There you have it, friends — here’s (almost) everything you need to host your very own clothing swap. That, or be one heck of an awesome attendee. Let us know your thoughts on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Sometimes less really is more, especially when it comes to our wardrobes. In fact, some professional women and bloggers have made a lifestyle choice opting for a permanently clean closet in exchange for a minimalist wardrobe consisting of their most significant separates. And with Shop Drop 2016 underway this January, now is the perfect time to explore the concept of sparse, more sustainable style.    

If the idea of minimalist living intrigues you, but the thought of jumping headfirst into the stereotypical austere existence consisting of less than 5 pairs of shoes – gasp! – frightens you, then you’re actually the perfect candidate for taking the Shop Drop pledge and partake in 30 full days of retail restraint. This means, rather than ditch the majority of clothing you already own, simply agree not to add to your current collection, aside from consigned, thrifted, or swapped fashion, for one month, beginning in January 2016.

The Shop Drop challenge is being hosted by Rachel Sarnoff over at Mommy Greenest, and is sponsored by the largest online consignment and thrift store thredUP, with the intent of this public project aimed at breaking the fast fashion cycle. Sarnoff’s blog has some interesting facts regarding the impact our retail habits and clothing have on the environment that are worth sharing:

• The average American woman spends $60 on clothes and trashes six pounds of textile waste each month.
• If the 160 million women in America took the 30-day shop drop pause, nearly one BILLION pounds of landfill waste could be saved.
• If 1,000 women sign up (the Shop Drop pledgee goal) for the challenge, then 6,000 pounds of textile waste, on average, would be saved.

So, if thrifting for clothes and accessories more often, or simply deciding to shop and own less altogether sound like some techniques you’d like to use in order to whittle down your wardrobe, then it’s important to know what steps you can take to accomplish your goals. Although the Shop Drop challenge is a great place to start, we’ve got some other suggestions on how to get started with minimalism for a more streamlined, sustainable wardrobe that’s still big on style.

Below, we have highlighted several conscious fashion tips from popular minimalist living blog Into Mind, combining her invaluable advice with a few suggestions from us. This little list should undoubtedly provide you with some useful advice on how to begin approaching the lifestyle.

• Into Mind states that a wardrobe is not minimalist because of a smaller size, neutral palette, or lack of patterns or details, but because it follows the key of idea of minimalism, which goes like this: purge everything that doesn’t make you happy or enrich your life, and make room for the things that do.
• Rather than cram your closet full of purchases made on a whim or a bunch of bargain buys (like fast fashion) that you only sorta kinda like, really take the time to think about what works best for your lifestyle, your body type, and your personal style. We say: make sure you’re spending your cash on something worthy – a piece that won’t find its way into the trash after a few weeks of wear.
• Into Mind emphatically states that a minimalist wardrobe shouldn’t be misconstrued based on the idea that it’s supposed to be tiny, and that the number of pieces you actually own are up to you, but should adhere to a quality over quantity notion.
• Start the sorting process by isolating all of your favorite pieces (the ones you wear again and again) and create another pile for the things you haven’t worn in a long time. Then, figure out the differences between these two piles (color, fit, style, etc.) so you can determine why you wear some more than others in order to avoid making the same buying mistakes in the future.
• Check out Into Mind’s excellent guide on how to build the perfect wardrobe utilizing the site’s ten basic principles, like selectivity, definition, authenticity, etc., that are too practical (and awesome) to ignore.

Consider testing the waters of a minimalist wardrobe by challenging yourself to Shop Drop 2016’s goal of 30 consecutive days’ worth of retail restraint. This will definitely help you get a feel for the less-is-more-lifestyle, allowing you to slowly ease into the concept rather than jumping in feet first.

What do you think about the Shop Drop challenge? Could you thrive on a minimalist wardrobe, or just survive? Do you think this lifestyle helps or hinders your creativity? Let us know what you think on the EcoSalon Facebook page!

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Image of Hanging Clothes via Shutterstock

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Give + Take, the world’s first clothing swap boutique, is taking the sharing economy to a whole new level with the help of Alysia Reiner of “Orange is the New Black” – and it’s one giant leap for womankind.

Alysia Reiner, best known as Fig on the Netflix hit series “Orange is the New Black”, recently hosted the launch party for Santa Monica’s Give + Take, the world’s first clothing swap boutique – and she’s got nothing but mad love for this revolutionary new way for women to shop.

“Give + Take Swap Boutique is the best-kept secret in Los Angeles,” says Reiner, who will guest on ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” this fall. “I love being a member – it’s especially great when you’re rotating looks for the red carpet. I bring great stuff in, and take amazing stuff out!”

A woman’s closet is personal, making Give + Take not just a boutique, but a community. The event was the first of a series of monthly parties for members and guests planned by owner Celina Amaya  along with new partner Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, the super-fashionista behind Mommy Greenest. Staff are on hand to share style suggestions while members score the duds they need for any occasion – sans the wallet-gouging pricetag.

It’s like Rent-the-Runway for everyday life: Have a party on Saturday night and nothing to wear? Swap for a dress at lunch, look fabulous in it all night, have it cleaned on Sunday morning and exchange it that afternoon. Find a pair of jeans you just can’t live without? Then don’t – anything you take home, you can keep and wear to your heart’s content.

Not only is the process fun, but super simple: The clothing and accessories at Give + Take are valued at 100 percent of their original cost and converted into points. For example, a dress that was purchased for $100 would “cost” 6 points in the boutique. If you brought in the dress, you’d get 6 points of credit to use in-store, and if you want to take it home, you’d need 6 points to do so.

Points can also be accumulated for higher-ticketed items, for instance bringing in two $50 dresses and swapping them for a $100 pair of shoes – except for items marked “1” which can only be swapped for other “1” items.

As a member, not only do you save oodles of money on designer brands like BCBG, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Prada and Zac Posen, but you help the environment in a big way: There are 160 million American women spending an average of $60 on clothes every month while dumping six pounds of textile waste into landfills. If every woman in America swapped instead of shopped for just one month, not only would we save $10 billion, but one billion pounds of landfill waste. (Seriously.)

Ready to refresh your wardrobe? For more info on joining the ultimate clothing swap, check out their fabulous website:
www.giveplustake.com

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Image: Give + Take

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What’s not to love about clothing swap websites? You get to save money and the environment, all while looking fabulous – cha-ching!

Here’s an icky stat: Only 20 percent of donated clothing actually makes it to thrift store racks. Textile waste is a serious problem that most of us aren’t even aware of. According to USAgain, 78 percent of people didn’t know that 11 million tons of textiles are trashed each year (with each of us contributing about 65 pounds annually). Holy. Crap.

Enter clothing swap websites, which give fashionistas the opportunity to swap clothing with each other – reducing waste and the dent in our wallets. Here are 8 popular clothing swap websites to take for a spin:

1. SwapStyle

SwapStyle is known as the trailblazer of clothing swap websites, giving you the opportunity to swap clothing, accessories and beauty supplies. It allows users to both swap and sell, so if you really want something but don’t have something of equal value to swap, you can buy it instead. It takes seconds to sign up, and the process is secure: If someone doesn’t keep up their end of the bargain, they’ll be penalized and you’ll be compensated.

2. Dig N Swap

Dig N Swap is a clothing swap website that’s super-easy to navigate. It has a prominent search box on the homepage where you can search for whatever strikes your fancy. They charge a 99 cent assessment to your account for each swap, and within each listing you can say what you’re most interested in swapping for. Users manage their own shipping and other details with fellow swappers.

3. Rehash

If you have specific clothing and accessory interests (for example, a handbag obsession), you can join groups on Rehash filled with like-minded women who have similar preferences. You can also create a wish list of what you’re looking for, and they’ll let you know when those items become available. Shipping arrangements are between the two swappers.

4. thredUP

thredUP has a slightly different approach to their clothing swap: You order a thredUP Clean Out Bag, fill it with items you no longer want, and they buy them from you for up to 40 percent of the resale value. Each item goes through a thorough screening process, and any items they don’t accept go to charitable partners or textile recycling companies.

5. ReFashioner

This clothing swap site is known as a curated consignment shop, where members trade high-end women’s clothing and accessories. They even have their very own “Fashion Police” that approve your items and price them with ReDollars that you can spend on other member duds.

6. Swapdom

Swapdom is an insanely efficient clothing swap site – simply enter what you want and what you’re willing to swap for it. Swapdom then arranges a multi-party trade where everyone involved gets exactly what they’ve requested. Sending a list of all the items you want and all you’re willing to part with increases your chances of a successful swap. All you pay are the shipping costs, which already have a small service fee built in.

7. Poshmark

Poshmark is a clothing swap app that completely runs on your cell phone. Simply list 5-10 items from your closet and search for other women who’d most likely be interested. You can follow women who like the same brands or are the same size and start shopping. When someone buys one of your items, Poshmark emails you a prepaid shipping label the buyer pays for, and voila!

8. 99dresses

99dresses is also a clothing swap app. Upload a pic and details about the clothes you want to swap. You earn “buttons” based on the value of each piece, which you can spend on items listed by other fashionistas. You only pay for shipping and a small swap fee.

Which clothing swap websites are your faves?

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