Gong Clothes Swap is back: Spring into some sustainable fun!

By Matt Houston

The Gong Clothes Swap is back for 2023 and will be providing you with the opportunity to refresh your wardrobe on Saturday, October 14.

Shane LadyMoon is passionate about sustainability in the fashion and textile industry. Upon becoming aware of the impact that fast fashion has on the environment, she made the decision to take positive action in her own part of the world.

“The statistics are astronomical," Shane says. "On average, each individual in Australia sends 23kg of textiles to landfill each year. Approximately 30% of clothing in our wardrobes have not been worn within the last year and 60% of the new items we buy are predominantly made of plastic derived from fossil fuels. Even products made from cotton have a huge environmental footprint due to the amount of water used to create them. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

With these statistics in mind, Shane held a clothes swap in her loungeroom with a group of close friends.

Seeing the joy and excitement experienced by those in attendance, the natural progression was to organise a clothes swap on a larger scale. Being an experienced and locally respected event promoter, this was easily within Shane’s capabilities and provided the opportunity to combine her sustainability passion with her organisational skills.

The result was the creation of the Great Gong Clothes Swap, now in its ninth year.

“The clothes swap is my little bit of social activism to encourage a different mindset to fashion," Shane says. "Many of us love a new treasure. Instead of going out and buying new clothes at ridiculously inflated prices – which have had a predominantly negative environmental impact before reaching retailers – cull the unused items in your wardrobe and swap it for other preloved treasures!"

Shane is constantly surprised by how many items come through the swap with brand new tags still on them.

Like most things, the ability to hold clothes swaps was impacted by the Covid outbreak, but it’s now back and bigger than ever. With the blessing of Wollongong City Council, Shane will be hosting three swaps in the lower Crown Street Mall in Wollongong. Beginning in September, these swaps will operate on every second Saturday throughout Spring.

“I’ve done swaps in many locations – my loungeroom, a hall, even a circus tent – and I’m really looking forward to having this in an open public space to engage a greater audience.”

Attendees will have the opportunity to swap up to 10 items from their wardrobe.

Bring your 10 items on the day, peruse all the treasures on offer, then choose 10 new items to take home. The clothing you contribute must be in good wearable condition, free of stains and in a decent state of repair. The Swapstar team (Shane’s army of loyal and dedicated volunteers) will be doing quality checks on items and refreshing the racks throughout the day.

There is a $20 fee to participate, which is very reasonable considering you get to walk away with 10 ‘new’ items of clothing. Plus, you’ll feel good for doing your bit towards environmental sustainability – priceless! Head along and be a part of the fashion revolution.

The Gong Clothes Swap will be held in the lower Crown St Mall, Wollongong, between 10am and 2pm on October 14 and November 11.

For more information, visit www.gongclothesswap.com.au