“Reduce, rewear, repair” was the day’s motto on Wednesday, Sept. 18, as the Office for Sustainability hosted a Clothing Swap Event. The event consisted of free clothes, free snacks and a warm welcome to the “Free Store” in the basement of Falvey Library. Open to all of the Villanova community, attendees could bring gently used clothing to exchange, donate items or simply pick up new pieces.
Yen Leng Chong, a Villanova alumna who studied sustainable engineering and leader of the clothing swap, described the event as a “soft launch” for the Free Store. Chong and five other dedicated volunteers showcased their creative talents by helping in clothing repairs and assistance throughout the event.
The store received donations from move-out last year, including furniture, clothes and cardboard boxes, and this was able to jump-start the on-campus thrift store. The clothing swap was used to bring attention to the store, located in the basement of the library.
The greater mission is to ignite change. The purpose of the store is much greater than a quick clothing exchange, as it hopes to promote sustainable actions. The store works within the Student Sustainability Committee, a team consisting of faculty, staff and students formed to instill a broader sense of sustainability at Villanova. The group works to make the University’s footprint smaller, emphasizing mindful and conscious behavior of how much students are consuming.
Chong explained how her passion for sustainable fashion, combined with her experience in this field, allowed this vision to come to life. Even after graduating, she is determined to host these events in the hope of impacting the Villanova community and encouraging people to think about clothing consumption.
A key component of this event was the weighing of clothes. When students bring items of clothing, they are weighed and measured to find out how much is being saved from going to landfills. At the end of the school year, the store will have a data point with the amount of pounds that have been saved.
Villanova alumna Juliana Chen emphasized that events like these are helping to work against fast fashion, and are also making the opportunity to expand one’s wardrobe accessible for students on a budget.
Moving forward, the Office of Sustainability has big plans to promote the Free Store by holding educational workshops on upcycling, DIY classes and potentially inviting guest speakers to share further information on sustainable fashion.
While the event was held last week, the store in Falvey will remain open to anyone looking to switch up their wardrobe this school year. So, why not take a few minutes to look through your dorm room closet, grab a few clothing items and head to Falvey to donate and renew your style? Thrifting is one of the best ways to enhance your look, while also being financially and environmentally mindful.
