Hi, it’s Agni! Welcome to our first Little Switch Clothing Swap!
July 26th, noon to 3 PM
Location: Aberdeen (location disclosed upon signup)

The theme is: We Can Do Better Than Gen AI!

What do I mean by this?

Well as you have surely noticed, here at Little Switch we create and build yoga programming, community events and education, cleanups and service work, plus good old-fashioned malarky. As the twin forces of climate crisis and capitalist intensifications continue to provide ample adversities, we want to create events, fellowship, opportunities and communities that are resilient, resourceful, interconnected, and yes… even joyful! Generative AI churns through artists’ work without consent, credit, or remuneration, violates privacy standards, contributes to cognitive decline, wastes tremendous amounts of water, contributes to environmental racism, and requires data center construction on a massive scale, usually targeting economically-depressed, rural areas

[ source, peer-reviewed studies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ].

A clothing swap, however — especially one that does not use generative AI for art or text (yes, Agni is typing this out with their own brain right now) — is exactly the kind of life-affirming, super-fun, ecological, economical, and mutualist activity that simply and deliberately chooses something different!

MORE INFO:

This is not my first (vegan) rodeo. I’ve hosted Clothing Swaps before. They are excellent for the following reasons!

1. Clothing swaps mean that our clothes we no longer use, go to those who are going to wear them. In contrast, when one donates clothing 85% to 95% of donations are immediately landfilled, not resold [ source, peer-reviewed study ].

2. Attendees get new clothing — for free!

3. Moving on the clothing we realistically are not using, is an emotionally cathartic experience.

4. Watching a friend find your piece and delightedly make it their own, is deeply warming! I still see people in the community out and about, wearing the pieces they picked up from my last Clothing Swap.

5. We will have good music, delicious food, and great company. Talk about an absolute antidote to so-called “retail therapy”!

6. When we get new clothes at a Clothing Swap, we can save our money to buy more ethically-produced new garments, should we choose to buy new clothing.

To participate, please:

1. Select your ticket price

2. Repair and wash your garments, preferably in unscented laundry soap

3. Bring them to the Swap between noon and one, on Sunday July 26th!

4. If you are shopping for a friend, bring measurements and a flexible tape measure.

5. Especially if you bring more than you take, or if you take more than you bring — please consider staying until three (or coming back at three) to help us responsibly distribute any garments that do not get claimed. We always have more clothing at the end of the Swap, because clothing is artificially inexpensive [ source ] — and we want to thoughtfully and responsibly re-allocate these items as best we can.

Ticket prices:

First, a huge thank you to our Members. Your support is what makes community events like this possible.

Benefactor & Supporter Members: your membership helps provide the stability that allows us to host gatherings like this. Register for either ticket option, with lunch or without, for $0.

Community Members: thank you for being part of Little Switch Yoga! Your ticket is just $12.50 with lunch or $5 without lunch.

Not a Member? We’re so excited to have you! Your ticket is $12.50, and includes:

Entry to the clothing swap

A beverage and refreshments

Some fun swag

Access to newly added clothing and fresh finds

Why is there a ticket price for a clothing swap?

First, you’re getting new clothing and doing your part to keep your old clothes out of the landfil, so jot that down! But also, we’re creating a welcoming community event, and supporting artists. Your ticket helps cover refreshments, event supplies, and ensures everyone enjoys a fun afternoon while going home with new-to-you clothes.

Ticket fees also cover the cost to pay an artist who created our beautiful event flyer. Supporting artists and other community members is an important part of our values, and your ticket helps make that possible. Just like last month’s event supported a local plant shop, this one supports a graphic artist by paying them a fair wage (see below).

One more thing:

As most of you know, I am also a designer and garment-maker. Most of the clothing I am bringing, will be part of the swap and therefore free! I will have a handful of my custom couture garments available at a heavy discount.

I am also available to provide mending advice, at no cost, if you bring something that needs repair. You can certainly hire me to do the mending for you, but I can also lead you to resources to mend it yourself.

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If you have any questions, please contact me (Agni) directly!

If you would like the lunch option, please make sure your RSVP by the 23rd, for meal planning and menu design.

We are so excited to host this fantastic event!

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Poster art credit: Liam (he/they), @picturesidrawn on Instagram.