Teen-Led Clothing Swap Combating Fast Fashion

Project Summary

Teen volunteers at Schenectady County Public Library organized a gender-expansive, size-inclusive clothing swap for young adults ages 14-21, using TCI’s Climate Justice and Equity Learning Lab and Wardrobe Edit toolkits to address fast fashion and textile waste while promoting sustainable clothing practices.

Detailed Story

Four teen volunteers from a local homeschooling co-op plus a fifth from the larger library community assisted in planning a clothing swap for teens and young adults ages 14-21 at the Schenectady County Karen B. Johnson Main Library. They undertook the Wardrobe Edit and Capsule Wardrobe Climate Action Toolkits and also used material from the Climate Justice and Equity Learning Lab in their classroom. They assisted in reviewing donations for suitability and sorting, and staffed the swap day tables, including a mending station. They also prepared informational literature on fast fashion and textile recycling to offer swap participants in their take-home bags. The swap was intentionally gender-expansive and size-inclusive, which encouraged the volunteers to think about how identity intersects with clothing access and which segments of society have greater access to quality, long-lasting clothing. The volunteers approached their Climate Action Toolkit work thoughtfully, with these teens having expressive senses of style and already being interested in thrifting. The Wardrobe Edit CAT was a challenge for them to look carefully at their closets for what they considered must-haves, as well as finding out the sources of their clothing. The swap’s mending table was also an opportunity for two of the volunteers to practice their sewing skills with an experienced sewist and show community members how to keep their clothing useful longer. Several swap staff, including the librarian, wore clothing with visible mending on swap day.

Impact Statement

5 teen volunteers gained deep understanding of fast fashion’s environmental impact, developed skills in wardrobe assessment and clothing sourcing awareness, created educational materials for community distribution, organized inclusive community event promoting sustainable fashion practices, practiced and taught clothing mending skills, raised awareness about textile waste and recycling among swap participants