DON’T CHUCK, DONATE!
Your first step to becoming a better consumer is to stop throwing your clothes away once you’re through with them. There are plenty of brands and outlets that will take your old outfits and repurpose them. Shopping giants, like online retailer The Iconic, are giving clothes another go with their “Giving Made Easy” initiative. Simply package up the items you want to get rid of, attach the pre-paid Australia Post shipping label offered on The Iconic site and post! Your items will be passed onto people in need with the help of Salvos Stores. Meanwhile, Zara and H&M offer a clothing collection program as part of their commitment to bettering the environment. Simply look for the donation bins in-store.
Retailers aside, you can always donate to local charity stores or initiatives like Dress For Success. This not-for-profit collects and donates corporate-style items (new or near new) to women seeking employment. Alternatively, Australia’s latest shopping app, SwapPay, is a quick, ethical way to swap old, unwanted garments for something new. So don’t stress about those 30-day return policies! Customers can pick five items in good condition they no longer wear, log their return into the SwapPay system and create a free shipping label. The items are posted to SwapPay HQ, regardless of where and when they were purchased, and you will receive cryptocurrency in return. This digital cash can then be put towards buying new items with participating SwapPay retailers. The future of clothes shopping is here!