Clothes swap events saves 2,000 items from landfill

A clothes swap initiative has helped save more than 2,180 items of clothing from landfill in just six months.

Swap Society was launched in Wiltshire by Meagan Powell from Calneand Gracie May from Westbury.

They said they wanted to make clothes swapping "cool and exciting" in an era of fast fashion and in response to additional pressures faced by the cost of living.

Ms May said: "I think cost definitely comes into it. If you have a £50 budget and go to Bath and Bristol, you could spend that in one shop. But with pre-loved shopping, that can be one, even two whole days of shopping."

The Swap Society initiative has seen the two friends combine three passions including fashion, sustainability and community. They hope to reduce people's judgement when it comes to second-hand clothes.

Ms May, manager of Dorothy House charity shop added: "When it comes from a place of need, I think you feel less prejudice towards pre loved fashion.

"It started from a place of necessity both for myself and Meagan. For Meagan, who emigrated from South of Africa with two bags worth of her personal belongings, and myself coming from an impoverished background."

There have been four Swap Society events across Wiltshire this year attended by around 300 people.

Ms May and Ms Powell wanted to grow on their success in 2026 with even more items of clothing saved from landfill.

They also hope to encourage more men to shop second-hand, as the majority of people at the swaps so far have been female.

Ms May added: "We've fit a lot into the last six or seven months.

"This really just did come from an idea of fun and passion for something. We don't make money for it, it was never going to be a business we were going to take on Dragon's Den. It was just to have a good time and to bring a community of people together and I think we've done that."

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