King’s hosted its first “Swap, Don’t Shop” event. Pupils and parents took part in the simple, fun, and eco-friendly way to refresh their wardrobes without feeding the fast-fashion cycle. We may have seen the start of KSR Vinted!
The message is hopefully even clearer: Fast fashion is one of the world’s biggest polluters. The industry produces around 10% of global carbon emissions, as synthetic fibres (such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, and elastane) are made from processed fossil fuels. Furthermore, brands often destroy stock that is ‘out of season’. Over 100 billion garments are made each year, but 85% end up in landfill or incinerated. The UK is one of the most wasteful countries in Europe, throwing away over 200,000 tonnes of textiles every year.
By swapping instead of shopping, we reduce textile waste, decrease water and energy use, challenge unethical labour practices, and encourage mindful consumption.
We will follow up this success with a similar event for King’s Junior. Keep an eye on the newsletter, calendar, and website for date announcements!
The goal will be to repeat the Senior event: pupils bring clean, good-quality items that no longer fit, or that they don’t have space for, to the Swap Collection Point (the School Hall). They then receive a token which they exchange for ‘new-to-you’ items. Thus, people enjoy an updated wardrobe guilt-free — no money, no waste, no harm.
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