Positive Change using Clothing Currency

OXFAM EXCHANGE FOR CHANGE: ReThreads clothing swap-fest Saturday 31 July 2010 at CarriageWorks, Sydney.  

From July 29 – 31, Oxfam Australia and CarriageWorks are working together to present Exchange for Change, a free three-day festival that will give people the chance to exchange clothes and ideas about how to make ethical fashion choices.

The idea behind ReThreads is simple but fabulous - a giant swap-fest of 'pre-loved fashion for the style-savvy'. It's a great way to get involved and to engage people with the idea of recycling and fashion ethics. Theres no cash involved in swapping, just your own unwanted clothes as barter for new ones! You can bring along up to 20 of your best cast-off items to trade including hats, scarves, belts and shoes. But the idea is to bring along ‘treasure’ rather than to use the swap as a way to get rid of ‘trash’. All items are vetted for quality, so make sure what you bring along is clean, well-kept and ready for someone else to love. Items with stains, rips or major faults won’t be accepted. Once your items are checked through, that’ll take about half an hour, you’ll receive credits to select new treasures of your own from the market.

The mood is cool, so don’t rush, take your time and chat to other swappers. There’ll be live music, book and music stalls, and places to eat or you can grab a drink from the bar. While you’re there visit one of the DIY Re-mixed Fashion workshops run by The Social Studio and check out The Guilt Quilt, Oxfam’s interactive petition to the fashion industry to lift its game.

ReThreads was a huge hit last year with thousand of people coming along, so to avoid the queues on the day take your clothes in during the week, then you’ll be able to enjoy the early-bird entry at 11am.

Rethreads on Saturday pulls in the crowds but the festival gets started for all those interested in ethical and sustainable design on Thursday evening. Rising to the Challenge is an intimate panel discussion, where Oxfam labour rights expert Daisy Gardener, will be joined by Emer Diviney, National Coordinator, Ethical Clothing Australia, Matthew Paroz, Director of the blog How Big Is Your Eco, Kelley Sheenan, Founder and Editor of Peppermint Magazine and other academics, designers and labour rights campaigners. At this event audiences will learn about the challenges and benefits of bringing practical and innovative changes to the fashion industry that can make it more sustainable and fair. The event will be followed by entertainment provided by 2ser.

On the Friday evening Walk and Talk: Designer Showcase will feature the work of young designers who will present up to six of their own garments and then talk about their commitment to making fashion more ethical and sustainable. RSVPs are essential for this event by emailing exchangeforchange@oxfam.org.au.

Saturday morning starts with Ethics on Toast. There will be three talks presented by Oxfam’s 3things project. The discussion is ‘set to awaken sleepy brains and ignite conversation around some of the new more controversial and intriguing facets of the fashion industry. First up is Credible Accreditation, learns what’s being the label of logos such as Fairtrade and Australian made and get tips on where and how to shop for ethical fashion. At We’re Walking in Their Shoes, Sue Thomas, Lecturer in Fashion at RMITs School of Architecture and Design will be joined by FairWear NSW campaign Coordinator, Amity Lynchg and Outworker Lien Ho. Together they will discuss the conditions of outworkers and the how they make the shoes on your feet. Then meet one of the designers from The Social Studio, an organization that helps create employment pathways for young designers from Melbourne’s refugee community.

After the big swap Oxfam takes audiences at Behind the Seems will hear from Oxfam Australia's Labour Rights Advocacy Coordinator, Daisy Gardener about the conditions faced by fashion industry workers in Australian and overseas.

“People are shocked to learn that some clothing workers in Australia, the majority of whom are women, are often paid as little as $3 an hour,” says Gardener.

“Clothing manufacturers and fashion designers can often be unaware that there are workers in their supply chain who are underpaid and don’t know the steps they can take to make their manufacturing more ethical.

“Exchange for Change explores how actions we take can make a difference to poor people at home and around the world.”

Why recycle clothes? Swapping one suitcase or about 20kg of clothes saves enough energy to run a TV non-stop for 1.7 years according to statistics provided by Plaent Ark for Exchange for Change. Plus, by preventing your clothes (and those of others) heading to land fill you’re helping reduce the production of methane, a greenhouse gas, which is produced as they break down. Reusing clothes is helping to conserving resources and production demands on water, energy and raw materials.

If you can’t make it to Sydney Oxfam have created a DIY pack, to help you host your own Exchange for Change event. It’s available to download from their website (a href=http:www.exchangeforchange.my3things.org> exchangeforchange.my3things.org.


Oxfam’s Exchange for Change
July 29 – 31
Carriageworks
245 Wilson Street
Eveleigh NSW
Train: Redfern or MacDonaldtown)

More information is available at www.exchangeforchange.my3things.org
www.carriageworks.com.au

STORIES: RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
6.30pm – 8.30pm, Thursday 29 July, Bay 20, CarriageWorks, Sydney
Through an intimate panel discussion, hear from labour rights experts and academics as well as designers and manufacturers about how they have taken up the challenge of increasing ethical standards of fashion production. The discussion will be followed by entertainment provided by 2ser.
Speakers include:
Daisy Gardener, Labour Rights Advocacy Coordinator, Oxfam Australia
Emer Diviney, National Coordinator, Ethical Clothing Australia
Kelley Sheenan, Founder and Editor of Peppermint Magazine
Matthew Paroz, Director of the blog How Big Is Your Eco
Marty Dillon, Founder and Director of fashion label 3FISH
Sue Thomas, Lecturer in Fashion, School of Architecture and Design, RMIT
Amity Lynch, FairWear NSW Campaign Co-ordinator with outworker Lien Ho

WALK AND TALK: DESIGNER SHOWCASE
Session 1: 6.30pm – 8pm or Session 2: 8.30pm – 10pm, Friday 30 July, Bay 20, CarriageWorks, Sydney
RSVP essential to exchangeforchange@oxfam.org.au
Watch young, motivated Australian designers showcase the steps they have taken to produce fairer and more sustainable garments. Designers will present up to six pieces and will talk about their commitment to leading the fashion industry into a more ethical era.
Featured designers include:
The Social Studio
3Fish
Kindling
East of Grey
Hideyo Designs
Redbox7

ETHICS ON TOAST
8.30pm – 10.30am, Saturday 31 July, Foyer, CarriageWorks, Sydney
Take a seat in the CarriageWorks foyer at breakfast time to hear conversation around some of the more controversial and intriguing facets of the fashion industry.
Speakers include:
Emer Diviney, National Coordinator, Ethical Clothing Australia
Jen Djula, Founder and Director of Blue Caravan Sue Thomas, Lecturer in Fashion, School of Architecture and Design, RMIT
Amity Lynch, FairWear NSW Campaign Co-ordinator with outworker Lien Ho
Grace McQuilten, Founder and Director of The Social Studio

RETHREADS: FREE MASS CLOTHING EXCHANGE
12pm – 6pm, Saturday 31 July, CarriageWorks, Sydney
Bring up to 20 clothing items that you no longer want or wear, and exchange them for new pieces to reinvigorate your wardrobe. Last year Rethreads attracted thousands, so check your clothes in the week before for early-bird entry at 11am, and visit exchangeforchange.my3things.org for guidelines on what you can bring.