Clothes swap to help residents save money and protect the environment

RESIDENTS will have the chance to save money and help the environment when The Northern Rivers Community Gallery hosts a clothes swap at Ballina. It will be part of a creative mending workshop the Northern Rivers Community Gallery between noon and 2pm on Wednesday, December 11.

The free social event, run by Ballina Shire Council, gives the community a chance to swap quality clothing items, refresh their wardrobe and create a positive environmental impact.

“Textiles are the third most common item by volume found in landfill bins across Ballina Shire. Australians are also among the largest consumers and disposers of fashion in the world,” council’s resource recovery education officer Justine Rowe said.

“Our upcoming community clothes swap and mending workshop is designed to tackle these challenges by encouraging a circular and sharing economy.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community to refresh their wardrobe for summer, learn valuable repair skills, and connect with others in a fun and sustainable way.

“The swap is for all genders and sizes, and we welcome clean, quality clothing designed for male, female, adaptive and all body types.”

Participants need to drop off their clothing in exchange for tokens before the event.

It needs to be done between 2pm-4pm on Tuesday, December 10 or from 10am –11am on the Wednesday.

“This is the first clothes swap we’ve held at NRCG and we are looking forward to it. By reducing textile waste and embracing creativity, we can give old clothes new life, foster community connections, and work towards a more sustainable future,” gallery coordinator, Imbi Davidson said.

The creative mending workshop with multi-disciplinary artist Pippin Nicholson includes a variety of mending techniques to extend the life of clothes using simple hand-sewing skills and scrap or recycled materials.

Participants can take an item of clothing to mend or join the discussions.

No sewing experience necessary, and tools and materials will be supplied.

For more information on how to take part visit www.nrcgballina.com.au or phone the gallery on 02 6681 0530.