Fast fashion is where a majority of clothing comes from now, and it is an unsustainable means of obtaining clothes. However, the ReVamp is combating the environmental impact of the fashion industry by giving Denton residents a way to trade and reuse clothes so they do not go to waste.
The ReVamp is a local company that puts on clothing swaps in Denton four times a year to contribute to more sustainable fashion.
“Fast fashion is very easy and very accessible, and we wanted to create an opportunity for clothing sharing to be more accessible and easier,” said Denton resident, founder and curator of The ReVamp Amanda Sweet. “This allows for people to save money [and] get rid of their clothes in a more responsible way.”
The ReVamp was founded by Sweet during the summer of last year, and from there it took off.
“So many little things led up to this,” Sweet said. “I loved sharing clothes, but when I moved [to Denton], I didn’t have any friends to do it with. I then thought, ‘why not throw an event to do this?’ The first one was really tiny, and there were about 10 people there. Then they all said ‘let’s do it again,’ so we did it again, and the next time it doubled. Then by the end of that year, we decided to form the actual organization.”
The ReVamp is more than just a company, but rather a lifestyle that they are encouraging Denton residents to take on.
“The ReVamp is where fashion meets sustainability, but we have big dreams for it [aside from] fashion,” ReVamp team photographer, content creator and Denton resident Danika Dobson said. “We want to help people have access to slow fashion without having to spend a lot of money.”
At the clothing swaps, people can bring in clothes to donate, then shop through other people’s clothes. If someone donates clothes, they can purchase however many items they would like for a total of ten dollars, or if they do not donate clothes, they can pick out items for a lump sum of $20.
Prior to a clothing swap, preparation is needed from the team members. One clothing swap requires months of preparation to make each one better than the last.
“There’s a lot of little steps,” Sweet said. “Right after an event, we do a team recap to set up the next set of events. People help with marketing leading up to the event. A month before [the swaps], we have our fashionable events. [Fashionable events] are promo events to encourage people to come to our swaps. Right before the event, we go super heavy on the marketing, so the brand ambassadors post the photos that we took, we ask people to invite people and we do social media and marketing.”
Aside from marketing, preparation on the logistics side is mandatory to ensure that all is in line for the event. A location, volunteers, guests and clothes are important to making the event run smoothly.
“To plan a bigger swap, you need a venue, maybe some tables, cross your fingers for good weather, and then you just need people,” Dobson said. “Our swaps start out with donations from the ReVamp team, and as the hours progress more people from the community show up, and they bring their donations and then it grows. When the swap is over, leftover items are donated to partners like Upscale Resale.”
The ReVamp team puts a lot of work in to ensure that everything is ready for the swap the day of.
“The day of the event, we start getting donations,” Sweet said. “We set up an hour early, and it is all hands on deck to sort through the bags and wagons people bring.”
From the numerous clothing swaps over the last year, Sweet has learned a lot about Denton’s supportive community for local businesses.
“I’ve learned that the community will support you if you support it back,” Sweet said. “Creating these events that are catered to the people and to their needs is really great. Some people have never volunteered [before], and they have gotten the opportunity to learn about their love for volunteering and sustainability.”
The ReVamp has allowed its volunteers and employees to make an impact in the community, helping out both people and the environment.
“I feel like I’ve been able to make a difference in the Denton community by helping The ReVamp come to life,” Mariah Smith, Denton resident and ReVamp creative consultant and digital marketing specialist said. “We continue to create a community for creatives to feel welcome and look stylish on a budget. All while supporting slow fashion in a world where fast fashion has harmfully taken over.”
The ReVamp began as a clothing swap, but it has since grown into a community of people with shared values.
“It’s kind of morphing into a community of people that want to create awesome works of art, including a blog, or other fashionable and education-focused events on sustainability and eco-friendly fashion, and of course, the clothing swaps,” Sweet said.
The ReVamp’s next clothing swap will be taking place on Dec. 8 from noon to 5 p.m. at Backyard on Bell.
Featured Image: The ReVamp creates clothing swaps for people to drop off unused clothing items and purchase new pieces from community members. Image by Mj Porter
Article Originally Published by on North Texas Daily
Source: North Texas Daily