With the ever increasing popularity of vintage clothing, recycling or remodelling garments and charity shop bargaining, I felt it would be a prime time to revolutionise the way clothing swaps operate.Currently, there are various sources online such as Bigwardrobe.com, CovertCandy, Whatsmineisyours.com, Swango.com and Swapz.co.uk which allow members to swap clothing online. However, as these online swap shops are relatively new, they have few members and so minimal numbers of clothing available. Furthermore, many of the members actually ask for cash - as opposed to an item to trade, which isn't really the idea most members had when signing up to a 'swapping' site. Another issue with these websites is the little or zero feedback on members. As these websites are still in the early stages there is generally no information on feedback history, therefore how is one member to be sure of the second's honesty and reliability? Furthermore the issue of postage cost adds to the transaction which means evidently you are paying something for the item - not getting if 'for free' as you might think initially.
Another way clothes are swapped are at organised clothes swapping events, such as VisaSwap, Swap-A-Rama Razmatazz, Swishing and Camilla Younges 'Y Shop' swapping parties. However, these are mostly held in London and have no form of promotion which means only their regulars will know of them. The only ones to hold regular swapping events are Swap-A-Rama (monthly in London) and Swishing (locally once every three months). The others only tend to only happen bi-annually or less!
My idea is to make clothes swapping more mainstream, more regular and more visable by creating a swap shop brand. The brand will have physical stores on the high street, which I hope will further encourage a recycling culture of people who exchange their old clothes for points. This would allow cities outside of London to get involved with stores in Brighton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester etc. Customers can then use their points at other swap shop stores - not neccessarily having to use them in the store they donated their clothes. Futhermore it removes the cost of postage which seems to be putting people off websites like BigWardrobe and Swapz.
I would have to consider how the brand would fund itself - for instance staff wages and store rent. I believe charging customers a membership may be a possible option or getting local designers to collaborate on remaking new garments, which would be available for purchase (not swap). Also, customising workshops could be held for the public which charge an entry fee. The brands personality would emphasize the importance of recycling and creating amazing new looks for free.
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