Yorkshire Clothes Exchanges: Clothes swapping saved me over £250 for a new winter wardrobe

“It’s great to see so many people here, we have had more clothes than ever before but we need more events to be happening,” said founder of Wakefield Clothes Exchange Sarah Cutts.

With COP 27 just around the corner and the cost of living crisis taking its toll, our reporter Sophie Mei Lan decided to avoid the temptation of buying new clothes online and pay £3 entry to swap her wardrobe.

Here she shares why clothes swapping, swishing and wearing preloved gear is proving popular.

When people shun charity shops or second-hand wear they often cite quality as a barrier.

But once I enter and hand over my items to be swapped, they undergo a strict but friendly quality-control process.

I then receive my card with how many items I can swap with.

The place is buzzing with people as they attempt to discover some new outfits.

Rails lining the hall are full with everything from gym kits to prom wear and everything in between. For me there is no in between ‘smart casual’ as I am either in athleisure wear or going ‘out out,’ normally the former.

There’s something a lot more fun than shopping about this ‘pot luck’ experience. You can even try things on or I go with the philosophy of donating to charity anything I don’t want.

Volunteers quickly restocked rails as soon as new owners bagged their items. I managed to get the equivalent of a whole new wardrobe which would have easily cost well over £250.

People are here for a variety of reasons from eco-conscious to saving time and money and for others it is a fun experience to mix up their wardrobe every season.

Clothes shopping that doesn’t cost the earth

Mrs Cutts who set up Wakefield Clothes Exchange after being inspired by Leeds Clothes Exchange is searching for more clothes swapping pioneers to buck the trend and start their own clothes exchange in Yorkshire.

“We have the rails, the framework and can support people to set up their own clothes swap. They’re needed more than ever,” said Mrs Cutts, a former debt advisor.

As people prepare for the first fully operating schedule of Christmas events following Covid, a lot of us will be wanting a new outfit and what better way to transform your wardrobe than by swapping.

There’s also something very equalising by the process, everyone coming together to swap and share their items regardless of backgrounds.

You get the high of retail therapy without the guilt following after.

With many people becoming more aware of the devastating impact of fast fashion on people and planet, such as the Yorkshire influencers who featured in Channel 4’s Inside the SheIn Machine, this is a great way to get a quick yet sustainable fix.