No New Clothes Club Launch – Swap, Don’t Shop!
With Fashion Revolution Week still in full swing, Moulsecoomb welcomed the launch of No New Clothes Club last Saturday at the Westergate Business Centre.
No New Clothes Club is a community-led movement founded by Sibel of Leftover Threads, created to inspire people to rethink their relationship with fashion. At its heart is a simple but powerful message: choose second-hand, upcycled, and repaired clothing over buying new, with an opportunity to take a pledge to do this.
Up to 11 million items of clothing are discarded each week in the UK and research suggests we wear just 20% of what we own. No New Clothes Club aims to shift mindsets, the initiative champions style that doesn’t cost the earth.
With the Textile Reuse Hub and the upstairs space at Westergate transformed into a bustling and vibrant clothing hub on Saturday afternoon, it was an opportunity to swap, not shop, with fashion-lovers turning up in search of fresh new looks that weren’t going to break the bank, or the planet.
The event invited people to bring their unwanted clothing, which was then sorted and displayed by the brilliant volunteers for others to browse and take home. But it wasn’t just about the swap, it was also a chance to connect with a like-minded community and explore more sustainable ways to love fashion.
Volunteers offered hands-on support with sewing, mending, felting, and alterations, helping attendees give new life to old favourites and fresh items and outfits they’d found on the day.
By the end of the event, nearly 300 items had been rehomed, and the fashion-forward crowd responded with enthusiastic feedback and praise.
Sibel told us “Overall, the launch was very positive, with a lot of people and great feedback. There will be more events, and I’d like to try and engage and connect younger generations and inspire them in the future.”
You can find out more about No New Clothes Club and sign up for the newsletter to stay connected with the movement and future events here!