Swishing

Council urges residents to give 'swishing' a go

Hot on the heels of hosting its own successful 'swishing' party, Worcestershire County Council is encouraging residents to trade their unwanted clothes for something new.

'Swishing' is the term used to describe the latest craze for swapping clothes, shoes or accessories with friends or acquaintances at specially hosted parties.

Now, a host of hints and tips on how people can organise their own swishing parties can be found on the council's new waste-busting website letswasteless.com.

The idea behind the swishing movement is that people can update their wardrobe in a sustainable, eco-friendly way. The rules are simple - everyone must bring at least one good quality item to an event which they can then trade for something that catches their eye.

Although it's fun, there's a serious side to swishing too.  Statistics show that 3 per cent* of all household waste is made up of textiles – much of which ends up in landfill, impacting on the environment. Many resources are also used in the manufacturing and production of clothing which is a real waste if items are barely worn and then end up in the bin.

It is hoped that the council's specially-dedicated 'swishing' page will give people handy ideas on how they can organise their own event and encourage people to think about alternative ways of recycling and reusing textiles and clothing.

Emma White, Assistant Business Analyst in Childrens Services; was one of 60 members of staff who swapped over 300 items of clothing at County Hall last month. A firm advocate of swishing, Emma has also hosted a number of parties herself at home.
She said: "Swishing is a great way to motivate you to clear out your clutter".
"Swishing parties are a great social event –you can put on wine and nibbles and make a real night of it".

"Everyone goes home at the end of the night thrilled with their new bits and pieces without having to part with any cash".