Clothes Swapping Party!
Last Sunday, we hosted a Clothes Swapping Party at Nami Yoga Studio! It was a huge success to say the least.
As a studio, we started being a bit more conscious about the environment and sustainability around the end of last year. We switched from paper towels to cloth towels to wipe down the mats. We introduced a water server at our studio to eliminate one time use of pet bottle waste. These actions heightened the awareness in both the students and the teachers. We were tremendously awed by the amount of waste we reduced in the course of a few months, and it was very visible!
As part of our sustainability work, Hiko (our most remarkable Sound Bath Master) suggested a clothes swapping party. She is currently on a resolution to not purchase any clothing this year. With her idea and the work of many of our teachers, we were able to host our first clothes swapping party.
It was our first clothes swapping party, and also true for most of the students who participated! We had no idea what to expect! And as yogis say, “have no expectation.” This turned out really well! Lots of people brought in clothes, and majority of the people took home clothes!
By doing clothes swapping, we found many benefits!
Aparigraha – Practice non-attachment
How many clothes do you have in your wardrobe that you don’t wear anymore, but still hanging there just in case? Aparigraha teaches us that we actually don’t need that new shirt that looks exactly like the other shirt hanging at home. By participating in the clothes swapping party, everyone had a good look at their own wardrobe and gave them a change to practice aparigraha! Clean wardrobe, clean start! On top of all that, it’s much easier let go of items when you know that it may end up in another person’s wardrobe to have another life.
Free Clothes
At a clothes swapping party, there’s no price tag and there’s no budget. You’re more willing to try on items that you’ll never consider when you’re out shopping. Sequenced dress? Sure, why not. Skinny leather pants? Ok, let’s give it a try. Block colored puffer jacket? Yeah! If it’s free, take it home and give it a shot. If it doesn’t work, just bring it to the next clothes swapping party, and there’s nothing lost.
Freedom!
At a clothes swapping party, size doesn’t matter. There are more than just clothes. There are shoes, bags, accessories, men’s clothes, etc. You’re going to find items that suit you. On Sunday, there was a white coat/jacket that everyone had an eye on. It was extremely simple and chic. We all tried it on, and it was fun to see how one piece of clothing fits everyone very differently!! We had a mini fashion show, and countless compliments flying through the room. I can’t explain how much positive energy there was that day!!
What you don’t claim will go to a local recycling organization
Approximately one million tons of used textile products go to waste every year in Japan, of which 70% end up in landfills!! We found this fabulous organization called BRING, where they recycle used clothing to bioethanol and other products that can be used for sustainable energy.
Feedback from our students and friends
Please host this event again! Can we do it in the summer again?
Love the yoga clothes
There are so many clothes of such good quality
There are so many men’s clothes and I love them!
I got to mingle with different people from different industries
Thank you so much for hosting the clothes swapping
We’d like to thank all of you that participated in the clothes swapping party, and yes, we will definitely host this again. We hope that this event brought more awareness to simple things you can do in your community to live a more sustainable life. Let me also add, that these little things we do will save the world.