No Frills All Fun Clothing Swap and Repair Day



When: Sunday, April 2, 2023

Where: Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center, 41 2nd St. Cambridge MA 02141
Time: 11-4pm

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE - TO VOLUNTEER CLICK HERE




Image from the Harvard Crimson, from our last Swap

What A down and dirty community focused swap for gently used clothes, accessories - featuring onsite clothing repairs and customizations by local seamstresses and artisans. 

Goal: 1) Mitigate Textile Waste 2) be of service and connect to our immediate community 3) Provide other methods of fashion acquisition other than selling items or marketplaces. 

Why: About 14% of what we donate stays in the donation center. The rest is sold off to Textile centers where garments are separated into "rags" (turned into insulation and other materials like rags), or they are sold and exported off to developing countries. where anywhere from 30-40%of our waste becomes part of the textile waste crisis. 

NEW THIS YEAR: We Thieves will be throwing down an AS IS vintage rack/stack for makers and creators in the community so these garments can hopefully get repurposed, upcycled, and stay in circulation. 


Cost: Sliding scale fee of  $5 to $20 to help us cover administrative costs.

This is a NOT FOR PROFIT event - we close our store and serve the community this day! Any extra monies will be donated to the charity we land on. 

Nitty Gritty:

Bring up to 15 items, including gently used, clean clothing and accessories you are no longer wearing, that don’t fit, or you realized you never should have bought to swap with our community for things you do want. You can take as MUCH as you like. Bring 15 pieces leave with 2 or 20 (up to you). 

What to bring: 

  • Clothing that is in good condition and wearable. MUST BE clean, no smells, holes, or irreparable damage. The Golden Rule Applies

  • All brands, genders and size inclusive is recommended.

  • Accessories including: Handbags, hats,  bags, belts, shoes  and jewelry (in good, clean condition)

  • HANGERS help clothes swap better! Clothing that requires hanging (dresses, coats) MUST BE ON HANGERS - this helps them display and swap better.  It will be difficult to keep track of whose is whose, so feel comfortable donating the hangers you provide or swap hangers with those that are empty. 

  • You can take your hangers home with you once swap is done or if hangers become available during the swap.

  • BYOB - Bring your own bags and beverages!

  • ABSOLUTELY NO: Underwear, heavily worn shoes, dirty or irreparably damaged clothes. 

TO REGISTER CLICK HERE  - TO VOLUNTEER CLICK HERE

A collage of customers from with garments gathered at our Swap and Repair day
 FAQ'S

What does the entry fee cover ?
The straight up answer to this is to help us cover the administration and time with planning, staffing, logistics, and everything involved in organizing this event for our community.  This includes space fees, admin fees, security, the list goes on. This is a NOT FOR PROFIT event - so any extra money gets donated to the Eastern Massachussetts Abortion Fund.

If I pay more than $5 to enter do I get more? 
No - it's really just about what you are willing to contribute to help cover costs and fundraise. 

Is it 1:1 swap?
No - we have too many folks attending to manage it and this is a NO FRILLS event - nothing complex, complicated to manage. If you don't find things you like - you can still leave the garments you don't want. Bring 5 items leave with 20 or 1, up to you.

What happens to leftover clothing? After the swap is over, we are committed to donating and recycling all leftover items to On the Rise Cambridge, and Second Chances Mass, and Cambridge Clothing and Textiles Recycling. 

Can I bring garments for repair without participating in the swap? Yes! But you’ll be bummed you missed it. If you are desperate for repair check out our local repair resources Guide.

I have some real nice fancy clothes - if they don't get swapped can I get them back? We are not responsible for returning unswapped items to their owners. We recommend 1) Returning at the end of the swap to look for it  2)Don't bring it if you really don't want to part with it or 3) Try and sell it to us via our buying page or find any of the local consignment shops that can help you out!