WHY DO WE SWAP? To promote the upcycling of clothes, shoes & accessories in order to create less waste and move toward more environmentally sustainable practices. We know that the Earth needs us to slow down, be conscious consumers, and reduce, reuse & recycle, and our Semi-Annual Clothing Swap is one way we can encourage this within our community. All of the proceeds from the swap benefit our Community Yoga Programs!
WHEN DO WE SWAP? Twice a year! In the fall and in the spring. Save your clothes for one of our swaps!
WHAT DO WE SWAP? Clean clothing, shoes, and accessories - for all sizes, gender expressions & ages. Please only clothing in good condition! Rule of thumb: if you'd give it to a friend, it's fit to bring. All remaining clothes at the end of the night will be donated to community partners including Spectrum Youth & Family Services, Pathways Vermont, and Feeding Chittenden.
What NOT to Swap: Over-worn, hole-y or stained clothing, old t-shirts or lingerie.
WHO'S INVITED? EVERYONE - folks of all sizes, gender expressions & ages. Please help us make this event successful by spreading the word & encouraging ALL your friends to declutter their closets! As always, Sangha works hard to provide a safe space for you to come as you are. If you have any questions prior to this event, please don’t hesitate to email [email protected].
We want to give a big thank you to those of you who brought to our attention the size inclusivity in past swaps. We’ve made a conscious effort to change this over the last two years. This past swap we had such an awesome diversity in clothing size! It was amazing!! We reached out to community members and to local stores asking for donations to truly make everyone feel welcome. Now we’re asking YOU to come!!
SPRING CLOTHING SWAP DETAILS Sunday, March 29 at ArtsRiot!
Step 1: DONATE TO THE SWAP
Dropping off item donations of any amount is free! You can drop off donations at ANY Sangha Studio location (120 Pine St, 237 N. Winooski or 150 Dorset St #310) from Sat, March 21 - Sat, March 28 OR bring directly to ArtsRiot on Sat, March 28 (4:30-10) or Sun, March 29 (9-12). If you drop stuff off at ArtsRiot on the 28th or 29th, we invite you to stay and help sort if you can!
Please note: The earlier we receive donations, the easier it is to sort and organize. Thanks for your getting us your items sooner! Also note that donating to the Swap doesn't automatically get you a ticket for shopping the swap.
Step 2: SHOP THE SWAP
Whether or not you choose to donate clothing, you're invited to shop the swap! Based on the number of folks that attended in October 2019, we’re doing things a little differently: nowwe have 3 options for shopping!
6pm Entry (General Admission) $5 admission for as many bags as you’d like!
Swap will end at 7pm. You're invited to stay as long as you'd like after each entry time (up until 7pm) and help us clean up if you'd like!
*Tickets go quickly and must be purchased in advance for early entry times – no earliest or early bird tickets will be available the day of the event. Limit to 2 reusable grocery store-sized bags for anyone leaving the swap before General Admission.
If you’re planning on attending the 4:15 or 5pm Early Bird options, YES, you need to purchase your ticket beforehand. There will be no tickets available at the door unless otherwise noted.
If you’re coming to the General Admission option, we highly encourage pre-registering for the event aka paying online before you get to ArtsRiot. It will make the process go so much faster!
You can pre-register via the widget in the blue section above the FAQ!
Should I come early?
You can come early to the event, however, you will not be able to enter the Swap space until your allotted time. Folks will be able to hang out, enjoy a beverage at the bar or some food at the restaurant before their time is allotted.
If you’re coming for the General Admission time frame, you can come early and pay, then lounge in the bar or restaurant until it's time.
*If you need accommodations for accessibility, please reach out to Laura at [email protected] *
Will there be enough clothing?
The amount of clothes that are at the Swap depends on donations from YOU & the community. Please spread the word to encourage people of all sizes, gender expressions & ages to donate. Each Swap, we never know how much we will get until the weekend of the event. Historically, we’ve had plenty. :)
This year, we’ve approached local thrift stores who will be donating some items, including more inclusive clothing sizes to make this a more accessible event for all.
What happened to the $5 suggested donation price? Why are there more payment options?
The Clothing Swap benefits our Community Yoga Programs, which bring fully-funded yoga programs into communities that otherwise wouldn't have access. By creating more payment options, we're able to fund more Community Yoga Programs! Also, because we outgrew our old venue (aka Sangha Pine!) we've upgraded this event to be bigger and better - with that comes the cost of our amazing space at ArtsRiot and increased staffing to make this event successful.
The tiered entry times help with crowd flow, making it more enjoyable for YOU!
CLOTHING SWAP GUIDELINES
for a fun, successful & respectful swap!
Be respectful & encouraging of each others' bodies & styles!
Build each other another up, not down — who doesn’t love a solid genuine compliment?
Leave the negative self talk at the door — the job of any article of clothing is to work for your body. Not to make your body work for it. If something doesn’t fit just right or make you feel amazing, put it back down, offer it to someone else & move on to another great find!
Respect that this is a Body Positive Zone. We celebrate & are strengthened by all of the styles, sizes, gender expressions and abilities of our community.
