this is how we swap it.
Steps
1. Drop
Stop at the welcome area with up to 10 items of preloved clothing, footwear, jewelry, and accessories in good condition (a.k.a laundered and folded, no rips, stains, broken bits, used undies or socks).
2. Swap
Find some thing(s) you love and try it/them on in the Centre for Social Innovation’s gender-neutral, single stall, and mirror-filled bathrooms.
3. Keep
Take what you want home with you. We ask that you to limit the amount you take home to a similar amount to what you brought. Remember: it’s not about how much you get, it’s about how much you’ll wear it.
4. Share
Tag @t.o.thegoodswap to share your finds with the world. Sign up for our mailing list to find out when the next swap is!
COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
1. Be nice to each other. Respect physical boundaries. Remember it’s just stuff.
2. Check your items: no holes, no stains, missing parts, clean, and ready to be loved by someone new.
3. Wash your items in scent-free soap and fold them before attending.
4. Don’t hoard. Try things on as you go so others can check them out if you decide not to keep them.
5. Don’t hover. Please keep the drop-off table clear and let volunteers place the items before looking through them.
6. Don’t use the swap as a dumping ground. The end-of-life care of your textiles is your responsibility. You bought it, you bury it.*
7. Don’t take to sell. Please take items that you or someone you personally know will wear.
8. Don’t do stuff that makes us have to write any more community guidelines.
*Please do not actually bury it. 85% of textile waste ends up in landfills each year. That’s bad.
Fine print: *We don’t take responsibility for garments donated and swapped and accept no liability for any claim or loss resulting from any transaction taking place at the event.*
Swap at your own risk: The swap is a high traffic event, and the opportunity for germs and pests to spread is elevated. We ask that swappers always wash their clothing in scent-free soap before a swap and only attend if they are in good health, but please be advised that we cannot guarantee the conditions of items at - or outcomes of - the swap. Take precautions: wear a face mask, use hand sanitizer, and wash your items when you get home!
FAQs
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The swap is run out-of-pocket by one person. Your donation goes directly towards: storage, admin costs, a thank you lunch for the volunteers (think: pizza, sushi, falafel, not a 10 course meal), gas to haul donations around the city. If you can spare $5, great! If not, there is an accessible ticket.
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If you can sell your stuff, do it! Make that cash!
BUT instead of dumping the gently used items you didn't sell at a thrift store bring them to the swap!
You can read our Resources page to find out what actually happens to the clothing you donate to thrift stores (hint: it’s not great)! -
Oh gosh, please don't do that. People have lovingly added their items into the sharing economy and you'd be taking it right out. Let's keep the swap spirit alive!
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Honestly? We straight up do.not.know. That’s the magic of a swap - it’s all determined by the swappers!
While we can’t guarantee you’ll find something you love, doing these things will help:
• Bring items that YOU would be delighted to find.
• Invite friends who share your style and/or sizing - they’ll probably have something you like!
• Invite those who DON’T share your style or sizing - this will help ensure variety and inclusion! -
Apparel! Ask yourself, “Would someone else want to wear this?”. If it’s clean and in good condition, the answer is probably yes! Just don’t bring items that are worn out, stained, or worse-for-wear. If you need help with the end-of-life of your apparel, please review our Resources page!
Can I bring kid’s clothes?
Yesss, kids need clothes too!Household items?
Nahhh, we’re focusing on apparel for now - but maybe one day! -
Will someone else definitely want it? Then, yes, definitely! Will someone else POSSIBLY want it? Then no, probably not. Will no one else ever want it? Then, nope!
We accept only gently used clothing in good condition.
The swap is only as useful as the items we bring, so please don’t just cram all your old items in a bag and dump ‘em out. That would not be good.
If your items have lost their utility as wearable garments, find other uses for them, or recycle them! -
Hah. Nope, if you just want to donate your items that’s cool!
If you can’t drop them off at the swap, let us know and we’ll can coordinate an early drop off time for you. Shoot an email to hello@goodswap.ca or DM us at @t.o.thegoodswap! -
Unfortunately, when we allowed this in the past, it resulted in people assuming the event was for “free” clothing, something more akin to a clothing bank. This is an important offering but it isn’t ours. We're here to support the sharing economy we ask that people bring at least one item.
As a reminder: our mission is to eliminate textile waste by encouraging participation in the conscious fashion movement. This differs from service organizations such as clothing banks which provide access to free or low-cost clothing for those in need of it. This list of clothing banks in Toronto may be useful if you are looking for these services. -
Yep! If you notice that your items haven't been claimed, feel free to take your items back. We won’t hold them for you, so its your responsibility to do so!
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We want your clothes to go to a loving home with someone who really wants them, instead of a landfill.
If items aren’t swapped or reclaimed, they will be kept for another swap or donated responsibly.
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Of course! Invite ‘em all! We’d love to grow our community of swappers.
Some tips you may have already read above:
• Invite friends who share your style and/or sizing - they’ll probably have something you like!
• Invite those who DON’T share your style or sizing - this will help ensure variety and inclusion! -
Sadly, if you’re on the waitlist it means we’ve hit capacity. But there’s always next month!
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Send an email to hello@goodswap.ca to get all your q’s a’d.
(Hint: if you email, read the automatic reply, it typically has the answers you need!)