St Albans Clothes Swap

👗 About This Event

Did you know 350,000 tonnes of wearable clothes go to landfill every year in the UK? That’s around £140 million worth of garments—and a huge missed opportunity.

Join us in St Albans for a community clothes swap that’s all about refreshing your wardrobe sustainably, affordably, and joyfully.

Bring up to 10 clean, undamaged items you’d be happy to receive—and swap them for up to 10 items which are new-to-you.

Let’s keep fashion circular and cut down on waste—together.

🕰️ Event Schedule - We have 2 sessions

Due to the success of our last clothes swap - we are holding two sessions - one morning and one afternoon.

Please book on one session and note the times below:

Session 1: Morning

• Morning Drop-Off: 09:30–10:00 Bring your clothes, accessories, and shoes (see guidelines below). Our friendly swap team will check you and your items in and prepare them for display.
• Morning Swap: 10:00–12:00 Come back anytime between 10am and 12pm to browse and take home new preloved treasures. It’s first come, first served – so arriving earlier gives you the best choice!

Session 2 : Afternoon

• Afternoon Drop-Off: 12:30–13:00 Can’t make the morning? No problem – drop off your items between 12:30 and 1pm ready for the afternoon session.
• Afternoon Swap: 13:00–15:00 Join us from 1pm to 3pm to explore what’s on offer.

✅ What You Can Bring

Please bring no more than 10 items. All must be:

• Freshly cleaned
• In good condition (no damage, holes, or significant wear)
• Items you'd genuinely give to a friend

Accepted:

• Ladies’ and men’s clothing
• Bags and belts
• Shoes (only if nearly new or very good condition)

Not accepted:

• Children’s clothing
• Underwear or swimwear
• Shoes with visible wear

🤝 The Rules

• Only swappers who’ve donated items can participate.
• Please be respectful: no pushing or hoarding.
• You may hold up to 10 items at a time while browsing.
• If you decide not to take an item, return it to the rail.
• Swap Shop Assistants' are all volunteers and are giving up their time to help with this event.

📢 A Note from the Team

“This is one of the best ways to find hidden gems, try something outside your usual style, and know that you're part of a sustainable shift in fashion culture. We can’t wait to see you there.”

📌 FAQs

Can I just donate clothes without swapping? No, this is a swap-only event. Only those bringing items between 9.30-10am or 12.30-1.00pm will be eligible to shop the rails.

Can I bring more than 10 items? To keep things manageable and fair, we ask everyone to bring a maximum of 10 items.

What if I don't find 10 things to take? That is not an issue – you can only take what you need.

What kind of clothes are accepted? Clean, undamaged ladies’ or men’s clothes, plus bags, belts and near-new shoes. We will not accept children’s clothes or underwear/swimwear.

Can I drop off items later in the day?No, drop-off is strictly between No, this is a swap-only event. Only those bringing items between 9.30-10am or 12.30-1.00pm can shop so we can prepare the rails before the swap opens.

What happens to leftover clothes?Any remaining items will be donated to local charities after the event.

Why is there a charge? We are charging a very small fee to cover the costs of running the event, including room and equipment rental, and bits we need to make this happen. This is a not-for-profit event and we will donate anything left over to Greenpeace.

Is the event accessible?Please check the venue listing or contact the organiser directly for accessibility details.

This is a free community event, but spaces are limited, so please book in advance. We’ll email you a reminder closer to the day.

Volunteers

If you had some time to help us on the day we would love this, but there is no obligation. We will need volunteers to help us set up, work on the check in desk, hang and tidy the rails and help us with packing up. We will get in touch with volunteers before the event to arrange timing and jobs.

If you would like to volunteer with us, please order an volunteer ticket. We will refund the ticket value back to you after your support and the event!

Venue

What3words location is reef.adults.cake

Jubilee Square Pavilion, Victoria Street, AL1 3LT