SWAP!
Largest clothing swap event in Finland @Tampere-Talo 14.10.2023 11–17

Make free clothing finds in exchange for your own unwanted clothes

SWAP! is Finland’s largest clothing exchange event, where money does not change hands – only clothes. The heart of the event is a large clothing exchange area, where you can make free clothing purchases in exchange for your own unwanted clothes. In the clothes exchange area, you can find good condition, checked clothes, accessories and shoes especially for women, but also for men and children. This is not a shabby hoarding event, but a trendy and highly popular second hand event, which is open to everyone and free of charge.

SWAP! -event is organized by Ekokumppanit and Pirkanmaa Jätehuolto in cooperation with Tampere-talo.

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Over the years, a total of 8,000 kg of Pirkanmaa residents’ unwanted, good-quality clothes have been processed at SWAP! events.

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Number of clothes swapped in 2022.

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SWAP! will be bigger than ever this year

SWAP! this year offers an unprecedentedly large framework for swapping, as the event has moved to Tampere-talo. This year, it’s also worth participating in advance collections: when you bring your clothes to be swapped in advance, you can enter the clothing exchange area directly on the day of the event, without going through the clothing reception.

There are two pre-collections: at the Moro trailer flea market on Sunday 10.9. from 9 am to 1 pm and in Puistolämpiö of Tampere Hall on Friday 13.10 from 2 pm to 6 pm. Regarding pre-collections, things to swap are available at the SWAP! event right after the doors open from 11 a.m., and the supply is constantly replenished during the day. During SWAP, you can get to know the exhibitors’ free workshops and activities and stop by the pop-up responsibility cafe.

Welcome to make necessary discoveries – let’s recycle clothes together!

Exhibitors at the 14.10.2023 event

Sustinare

In Sustinare’s threading workshop, you can quickly fix up, for example, the shoes you found at SWAP or, for example, a bag. In addition, you can get to know the possibilities of clothing and shoe restoration services, such as repair sewing and cobbler services.

Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto

What is removal textile and where can it be taken? And is biowaste sorting a glove? At the Pirkanmaa Jätehuolto point, you can get tips on how to properly dispose of disposable textiles and how to sort bio-waste.

Ekokumppanit

What is a circular economy? And how is SWAP part of sustainable consumption? Welcome to the Ecopartners point to familiarize yourself with the textile guide and the circular economy exhibition put together with the TREASoURcE project, which started its tour in the libraries of the Pirkanmaa region in September.

See moods from last year SWAP! from the event

How SWAP! Clothing Swap Event Works?

Bring your unwanted clothes to SWAP! - for advance collection

You can also bring clothes to the pre-collection point. We will inform about the time and location of the pre-collection point closer to the time of the SWAP!-event.

Get SWAP! vouchers for the clothes you bring

You will receive one SWAP! voucher for the one clothing/accessories/pair of shoes you donate. Max. 10 vouchers per person.

Find "new" clothes in the clothes exchange area

Only make necessary “purchases”. There are fitting rooms in the changing area.

Pay for your finds with SWAP! vouchers

One pair of clothes/accessories/shoes costs one SWAP! voucher. All “purchases” go through the cash register.

SWAP! – Frequently Asked Questions

Where do the leftover clothes from SWAP! end up?

All the left over clothes from the event will be transported to Nextiili ry and the Recycling Centers of Pirkanmaa kierrätys ja työtoiminta ry. All clothes are sorted by Nextiili ry: the ones in good condition are directed to be sold, and inapplicable (but clean and dry clothes) are delivered to the textile recycling facility in Paimio via Pirkanmaa Jätehuolto’s disposal textile collection.

All the left over clothes from the event will therefore primarily end up in circulation for their original purpose and secondarily as recycled fiber. Only textiles that do not meet Nextiili’s donation criteria end up in mixed waste.

How will the Covid situation be taken into account in the event?

We closely follow THL’s and Pirkanmaa’s “corona fist” regional recommendations regarding the organization of public events.

  • The use of a face mask is recommended at the event.
  • We hope that people who know they have been exposed to Covid will not participate in the event.
  • Do not participate in the event if you have symptoms related to Covid or other diseases.
Will the old SWAP! vouchers be used in the following events?

Oh yes! If you have SWAP! vouchers from previous events or pre-collections, the vouchers will also be used in future SWAP! events.

 

Please note that at the checkout you can use max. 10 vouchers per person.

Can I bring children's clothes to the event?

The main focus of the event is on adult clothing, but a children’s clothing area has also been organized in the area. So children’s clothes are also accepted. The exchange principle is the same as for adult clothes, accessories and shoes: one piece of clothing corresponds to one SWAP! voucher.

How SWAP! differs from a flea market event?

Money does not change hands in SWAP! – only clothes. The event works on the exchange method: bring a garment when you come and take a “new” garment when you leave. For the clothes brought to the event, you get SWAP! vouchers, which serve as a “payment instrument” in the clothes exchange area. One garment costs one voucher and all garments are “purchased” through the cash register. Vouchers can be received and used for max. 10 vouchers/customer.

Can I participate in SWAP! even if I don't have any unwanted clothes to donate?

You absolutely can, welcome! It is understandable that not everyone can find unnecessary clothes in their wardrobe. All visitors get three SWAP! vouchers to use free of charge, even if they don’t bring clothes to donate.

Does it matter if the garment has a small hole, a loose button or a broken zipper?

Yes, it does, unfortunately. SWAP!’s staff does not have the opportunity to repair clothes before exporting them to the clothing exchange area. Please bring only clothes, accessories and shoes that are in good condition. The staff will thank you!

Nextiili ry accepts textiles in any condition, but they have to be clean and dry. Unusable, but clean and dry textiles can be taken to Pirkanmaa Jätehuolto’s disposal textile collection points.

How much free clothes can you take with you from the SWAP! event?

Each customer can receive and use a maximum of ten SWAP! vouchers at the cash register at a time. One voucher corresponds to one item of clothing/accessories/pair of shoes.

If you have more than ten vouchers, you can use them all, but please note that you can use at a time a maximum of 10 vouchers. So you can’t use e.g. 15 vouchers at the cash register at a time, only max. 10 vouchers.

Where can I get SWAP! vouchers?
  • At the clothes reception point of the SWAP! event: you get one voucher per brought clothing/accessory/pair of shoes. Max. 10 vouchers/customer. However, you can bring more than 10 clothes at a time.
  • For pre-collection events: you will receive vouchers in the same style as at the clothing collection point of the event.
  • All visitors will receive three SWAP! vouchers, even if they do not bring clothes to the event. Vouchers can be obtained upon arrival at the event at the clothing reception desk.
How quickly do the brought clothes end up in the clothes exchange area?

SWAP!’s sorting team goes through each batch of donations and the sorted clothes are taken to the clothing exchange area with a continuous feed. So more clothes are constantly coming to the area, which means the selection changes all the time. So, it is worth visiting the event several times.

Where can I get information about the time of the next SWAP!?

All future events organized by Ecofellows are shown in the event calendar on the website, including future SWAP! events.

Event Organizers

In cooperation

Photos: Ekokumppanit, Pexels.com

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