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It’s there, in the wardrobe, a reproachful reminder of my rabid overconsumption. A preloved fashion pile, always growing but somehow slipping right down to the bottom of the to do list… I know you have one too… A heap of unworn clothes that were once loved (or maybe some that are BNWT and never loved at all) jeering at you from the sidelines of your bedroom. Cluttering up your physical space and draining you mentally…
Perhaps you haven’t edited your clothes into a pile yet? Maybe they’re still taking up hanger space as you flick past those sartorial mistakes in search of the perfect ‘fit for the day ahead. According to the latest figures by Wrap, the average UK adult owns 118 items of clothing but 26% of those pieces haven't been worn in the last year (that’s a total of 16 billion unworn items in the UK alone!)
Instead of buyer’s remorse, take action. Yes, you can list your clothes on eBay, Vinted or Depop. You could find a dress agency or reseller who can do the hard work for you (for a bigger commission) or you could swap those unworn pieces for something new to you. That’s exactly what I did at A Swap Shop by LOANHOOD - a sustainable fashion service - which is popping up in Selfridges London, until the end of July.
The concept is circular. You bring preloved fashion to A Swap Shop, your pieces are valued and you’ll receive stamps to swap for other secondhand items. It sounds simple. It is simple. But even with pieces I have that are unworn and unloved, I had forged a deep emotional attachment. I was feeling all the feels. A mix of anger over the money I’d wasted on clothes I never wore, regret that the pieces I once felt were essential weren't, along with nostalgia that I’d never get the chance to wear those pieces again. I also felt deeply vulnerable. As LOANHOOD’s team appraised my potential swaps for resale cost, the hopes and dreams of the self I wanted to portray were laid bare on the counter. So much of our identity is tied up in our clothes. Would my garms be worth anything? Would I find something equivalent to swap? Had I left a snotty tissue in a pocket?
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My potential swapsies included an Acne Jeans denim smock dress, another dress - this time fitted, dark wash denim from Isabel Marant Etoile, a satin midi skirt from Ganni, an LBD from Zara and some sky-high tan leather Pierre Hardy platforms. So many memories. Each piece needs to have a resale value of between £50-£300 so my Zara dress didn’t pass muster. LOANHOOD don’t accept any fast fashion brands although I spotted higher tier high street labels like Reiss, Hobbs, All Saints and Ted Baker on the rails. (They also don’t take accessories, so the heels went back in my cotton tote too.)
Each item is ‘priced’ and you receive a stamp to swap for something else of equivalent value. The two denim dresses and the skirt all received one stamp, meaning they would have a resale value of between £50-£149. Fancier pieces get two stamps that are worth £150-£300.
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The value of your items is predetermined by expert checkers who know the resale market inside out. The team are keen to point out that this is not a dumping ground for cheap, old clothes and have had choice pieces from Burberry, Versace, Saint Laurent and Gucci in store, alongside proper vintage gems.
The way that the stamp system works means that you could swap something that is worth £50 at resale for a new-to-you piece worth £149. That’s a pretty good deal and should sweeten any pangs of sadness as you leave your old life clothes behind. Although you could hand over something at the top of the price bracket and not find anything to flip it for, which I was terrified of. It felt weird to hand over my clothes and not know what I might come away with… While the joy of preloved fashion is that you never know what you might find, likewise that uncertainty could send you into panic. I've always avoided swapping events before because I've never been confident I'd swap my cherished clothes for something similar but the stamp system is really fair. Your stamps are also valid for the entire pop-up period, so it’s worth visiting again if you don’t spot anything first time round.
Coupling up with pre-loved fashion.
As I scanned the rails I was tempted by a Sonia by Sonia Rykiel red anorak, an emerald green Ireland rugby shirt from the menswear section and a pair of Omnes wide leg lilac cords which all came into the fitting room with me, but I also had one eye on swapping ‘up’, in terms of value, so was thrilled to spot a pair of immaculate grey wool cigarette pants from Sportmax (worth one stamp) and a printed velvet dress from Erdem (two stamps) - both in my size. One exquisite Erdem dress is definitely an upgrade from my two denim dresses. I might have done a mini air punch. The checkout process was smooth and I’ve kept my stamp card as I have a few more pieces I’d love to swap… the adrenaline rush of uncertainty could become addictive.
One day later I’m still sad I let go of the Ganni skirt (which, for the record, I wore three times in perhaps five years, and was now definitely too tight…) If you have pieces you love, but aren’t ready to hand them over for a new life in a new home, Selfridges and LOANHOOD are hosting Thursday Lates, which perhaps I should have considered for my skirt… Book a slot at a series of evening swap shops, bring in your items and get involved with workshops with an Upcycler in Residence, shopping, drinks and a DJ. Tickets are £10 and all proceeds go to Oxfam.
Filling your wardrobe with preloved pieces is the most sustainable way of shopping, or swapping, after wearing what you already own, and prolonging the lifespan of clothing is one of the best ways to reduce the fashion industry’s huge environmental impact. LOANHOOD’s pop up is doing sterling work to make that an achievable goal. Apparently, if you love something you should let it go but I reckon you should swap it instead.
For more from Glamour UK Fashion Director at large Alex Fullerton, follow her on Instagram @alexandrafullerton
“It's a new way of life – and I’ve never looked back.”
