By Cindy del Rosario Tapan

Posted: 10.28.09 | Tagged: clothing, home, parenting, reuse

It all starts with ten perfect fingers and ten teensy toes. Suddenly words like "layette" and "onesie" take on a whole new, beautiful meaning. But before you can blink your eyes, the perfect little baby has become a tantrum-throwing toddler and an endless amount of precious newborn clothes are in serious need of replacement. What's a budget-conscious, space-saving parent to do? Enter the clothing swap.

Here's how it works: each attendee brings gently used, freshly laundered
clothes to an event, and in turn, everyone gets as many new-to-you clothes as he or she wants.

"It's a guilt-free way to shop," says Suzanne Agasi, founder of Clothing Swap, who has hosted over 200 swaps in the last fifteen years. She began them so women could socialize and shop at the same time, but later realized that swaps also happen to be pretty darn good for the planet. "The fact is that clothing gets a new life," she says. "It doesn't end up in the garbage."

If one in every ten Americans substituted their next purchase of one new garment with a vintage one, the energy saved could fly every resident to New York City for Fashion Week, according to The Green Book.

At a free children's clothing swap held in New York City a few weeks ago, over 250 moms and dads signed up. The attire ranged from baby basics to pre-tween outerwear, with a wide selection of shoes, jeans and even Halloween costumes. Restless kids who came along could do arts and crafts, snack on healthy treats or get their faces painted. All unwanted clothing was donated to a New York City Rescue Mission orphanage.

"We are teaching women that you don't always have to buy, buy, buy," Suzanne says. And though the idea of a free-for-all might sound chaotic, she swears, "It is not a sample sale." Swappers are told the rules beforehand: wash what you have (preferably with a natural detergent), bring what you want, take what you love-and above all, be respectful.

It's easy enough to apply these guidelines and organize your own clothing swap. All you need is a few willing friends and a little entertainment, and voilà: you've got a party that saves money and helps the planet. The concept of a clothing swap can be extended to lots of other items too, like toys, books and just about every kind of house ware you can imagine.

Over the years, Suzanne's favorite finds have included some fantastic cocktail dresses, designer shoes, a Fendi bag, fancy evening pants and a slew of workout clothes. She says that 80 percent of her wardrobe now comes from swaps, and in turn that "I'm much more conscientious about what I buy." Sounds like just the kind of idea that ought to be shared with our (lovable) ten-fingered children.

To get more information about kids clothing swaps and find out when a similar event might be coming your way, check out the Green Works website.