Local Baton Rouge store, The Hope Shop will host a sustainable clothing swap on Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Electric Depot. Every item will cost just $1, and all the proceeds go towards its nonprofit, Hands Producing Hope.
Hands Producing Hope is a nonprofit organization that sells artisan crafts and jewelry at The Hope Shop in order to provide resources, education, training and empowerment for refugee women in the Baton Rouge area.
Amber Vaughn, the Baton Rouge program director at Hands Producing Hope, noted the impact a clothing swap can have on both the environment and the refugee community.
“It’s a way to be not only be conscientious about what you’re doing, but I think it makes a ripple effect in a way,” Vaughn said. “It keeps clothing being worn, recycles things and helps provide for our refugees here in Baton Rouge.”
The items at the swap will consist of general clothing, shoes and accessories donated by the public. There’s no limit to how many items a shopper can purchase, and the swap is open to all shoppers, even if they didn’t donate. Vaughn said she’s impressed with the number and variety of donations, and she’s looking forward to the shopper turnout.
“I’m glad that it’s picked up traction,” Vaughn said. “It’s been really good to get a good, wide range of donations already. I’m excited about it.”
This swap is sponsored by Local Supply and takes place alongside the monthly local pop-up market at Electric Depot. There will also be 30 VIP tickets sold for $20 each before the swap, which allows buyers to shop from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. before the swap officially opens.
This isn’t the first time The Hope Shop has hosted a successful and sustainable clothing swap. The store accepst clothing donations year-round and hosts about two clothing swaps per year around season changes. Aside from the clothing swaps, the shop has a permanent rack of donated garments available to refugee women at all times.
In addition to clothing items for the swap, donors occasionally drop off home goods and decorations to The Hope Shop. These items get passed on to refugee women in Baton Rouge to help furnish their living spaces.
“It’s been cool because we’ve actually been able to give these ladies curtains to hang in front of their windows, and they feel like that’s dressing up their home,” Vaughn said. “It makes it all worth it. It’s really cool to see them feel like they can actually decorate the place where they live and make it feel like a home.”
Eventually, The Hope Shop hopes to hold other kinds of donation drives and swaps to help make home furnishings, decor and other items more accessible to communities who need them.
Vaughn emphasized that just by showing up and buying goods from the swap, everyone can do their part to reduce waste.
“Just because it doesn’t have a tag on it, doesn’t mean it can’t be new to you,” Vaughn said. “You can make a difference.”
