Repair Café to repurpose rags to riches

Friday 27 August 2021

Guernsey Clothes Swap has been adopted by the Clean Earth Trust with the launch of a monthly Repair Café.

Taking place on the first Saturday of every month, the Repair Café pop-up and clothes swap will take place on the 2nd floor of the Health Connections Charity Shop, Re-loved Living, in Market Square.

With home-made cakes and hot drinks available, the clothes swap will run alongside the Repair Café and will cost £2 to take part. Womenswear, menswear, shoes and accessories are all welcome and items should be of wearable quality. 

Volunteer seamstresses will be available for any pieces that require a stitch or two.

The Repair Café provides a sociable environment where people can meet with volunteer fixers to mend and refurbish clothing, textiles, leatherwear, small electrical goods and household items.

Jenny Murphy of Guernsey Clothes Swap explains: “I started the Guernsey Clothes Swap in 2019 in response to local demand. It has become really popular, with hundreds of items of clothing swapped and kept out of landfill over the last two years. We are really pleased to be coming under the Clean Trust Earth banner, as our ethos fits firmly within their vision.”

The aim of the collaboration is to promote awareness of sustainability and fixing existing items of clothing as opposed to replacing it with something brand new.

Helen Quin, Head of Operations at The Clean Earth Trust, said: “The Trust is growing at pace and welcoming The Guernsey Clothes Swap into the team continues to bring the repair, reuse and repurpose message to life.”

The next event takes place on Saturday 4 September, 10.30-14.00. The event is open, however if you have items needing repair you will need to book a ticket in advance to be allocated a slot.