Forget Black Friday sales, get a bargain and give your unwanted clothes a second life at Ballina's upcoming community clothes swap.
The Northern Rivers Community Gallery (NRCG) is hosting a community clothes swap and creative mending workshop on Wednesday 11 December.
Did you know the average Aussie buys 56 new items of clothing each year, but that every 10 minutes around 6,000 kilos of clothing are sent to landfill? In Ballina alone, textiles make up 8% of the average kerbside landfill bin.
This free social event gives the community a chance to swap quality clothing items, refresh their wardrobe and create a positive environmental impact.
"Textiles are the third most common item by volume found in landfill bins across Ballina Shire. Australians are also among the largest consumers and disposers of fashion in the world," said Justine Rowe, Council's Resource Recovery Education Officer.
"Our upcoming community clothes swap and mending workshop is designed to tackle these challenges by encouraging a circular and sharing economy. It's a great opportunity for the community to refresh their wardrobe for summer, learn valuable repair skills, and connect with others in a fun and sustainable way," added Ms. Rowe.
"This is the first clothes swap we've held at NRCG and we are looking forward to it. By reducing textile waste and embracing creativity, we can give old clothes new life, foster community connections, and work towards a more sustainable future," said Gallery Coordinator, Imbi Davidson.
Event: Clothes swap and creative mending workshop
When: 12pm – 2pm, Wednesday 11 December 2024*
Where: Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina
Age: Open to all ages
Cost: Free
*Participants need to drop off their clothing in exchange for tokens before the event. You can do this at the following times: 2pm – 4pm, Tuesday 10 December 2024 OR 10am – 11am, Wednesday 11 December.
This swap is for all genders and sizes, and we welcome clean, quality clothing designed for male, female, adaptive and all body types. Availability of items on the day will depend on what other swappers bring.
Creative mending workshop
Have a favourite pair of pants with a hole? Come along and learn how to mend them on Wednesday 11 December. This free hands-on workshop with multi-disciplinary artist Pippin Nicholson will teach you a variety of mending techniques so you can extend the life of your clothes using simple hand-sewing skills and scrap or recycled materials.
Mending and patching are not only cost-effective, but also a creative way to reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Bring along an item of clothing to mend, or simply come to watch/listen and join the discussions. No sewing experience necessary, and tools and materials will be supplied.
For more information on how to take part visit www.nrcgballina.com.au or phone the Gallery on 02 6681 0530.
