Largest Clothing Swap Event Going Global

The fashion industry is coveted all over the world and one of its biggest industries. It is also in the top totem pole of industry polluters; From one-third of pesticides as a pollutant used in the production of cotton to social hazards from workers in production.

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According to research, in Denmark, people only use 1/3 of their wardrobe and 80% of clothes are thrown away and still have 75% lifetime left. Over 13 billion tons of textiles go into landfills in the United states. The Nordic Initiative clean and ethical was created in 2008 to take on these extended issues as a joint commitment from the Nordic fashion industry to take a lead on social and environmental issues.

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In comes the concept of clothing swaps. By taking an old tradition of friends and family getting together and inter-exchanging of all their unwanted wares, textile waste is reduced by circumventing their trip to landfills. In the last few years, a few different organizations and groups have hosted local, public swaps in their cities to much appreciation of the attendees.

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Eva Kruse, CEO of the Danish Fashion Institute, and founder of The Global Fashion Exchange, is on a mission to bring their very successful 2013, record breaking swap event in Copenhangen to the world. They’ve partnered with Ford Motors, H&M, and Ogilvy to make the Global Fashion Exchange a sustainable phenomenon.

The global swap will continue its world tour in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theater on November 20th.

YGL

YGL staff