Reduce, Reuse, Re-wear: Chaffey’s Closet Stitch and Swap Pop-up
By Loureyna Pablo
Image courtesy of Dorothy Vazquez: Fashion club president Daurtine Kabangu (pictured in white) signing students up for the club.
At 1 p.m. on April 22, students in the quad sifted through piles and skimmed racks of preloved clothing. The Closet Stitch and Swap was hosted to promote sustainability in fashion for Earth Day, with clothes and accessories donated by Fashion Club members and other Chaffey Panthers.
Along with myself, many were shocked to hear that their favorite finds cost nothing, and there was no limit to what they could take. In a different clothing swap event I attended, each item donated was an item I could take. Fashion Club wanted to make the event more accessible, allowing anyone to stop by and take whatever they wanted home.
Image courtesy of Dorothy Vazquez: Students browsing through preloved clothing.
Sharing the same thrilled sentiments, strangers and friends struck up conversations, showing off what they discovered. Some hyped those around them, bonding quickly and seeking pieces they found fitting for each other’s styles. I even ran into a classmate from an online course while sifting through items myself.
For many, the event also came to be a surprise, as it coincided with the larger Grad Fest event.
While Fashion Club’s president, Daurtine Kabangu, found the line of Grad Fest to be a hindrance at first, it ended up expanding their reach. The DJ of the other event even threw in a few shoutouts for the Closet Stitch and Swap.
Especially considering that she wants more promotion for the event next time, the crowd Grad Fest brought helped the club connect their message of sustainability to more people.
English major Erin, who came for Grad Fest, stopped by to check out the pop-up.
Image courtesy of Dorothy Vazquez: English major Erin carrying her selection while looking through folded clothes.
“I think it is really cool that they are doing it again,” she said, recalling helping out last year when Anthropology Club co-hosted. “Old clothes get to find their new home.”
Liliana and Julissa came to the pop-up to donate their clothes and left with a butter yellow button-up shirt, flannel and Y2K-style skirts. To Liliana, it was rewarding to re-home clothing she stopped wearing.
“It was really cool to see a lot of people pick up my clothes,” she said. “I was like oh my god! You all think it is cute?”
Image courtesy of Loureyna Pablo: Sewing machines for students to embellish their latest finds.
Julissa participated in the “stitch” part of the pop-up, using the sewing machines provided by the club to repair shorts she found. Amongst the machines were materials that students could use to embellish their finds to make them new again.
Image courtesy of Dorothy Vazquez: All the ribbons, beads, and patches provided by the club for students to use.
Besides Julissa, the upcycling table was not popular feature — but as I used it to turn a dress and pants into a top and flares set, curious onlookers asked about the event and the materials on the table.
Amusingly enough, the pants I “thrift flipped” formerly belonged to the club advisor, Adam Martinez. He was in awe of how his clothes were transformed beyond his style.
Image courtesy of Loureyna Pablo: A matching top and flares (made at the Closet Stitch and Swap) set next to high heel loafers also from the event.
The event slowed down around 3 p.m., when it was slated to end. Those hosting stayed by the remaining clothing piles a little longer, which had shrunk significantly since the beginning, even with additional donations throughout. Club members received leftover tacos from Grad Fest and enjoyed the cool sunny weather and music.
I left the pop-up with more than a handful of clothing in great condition. From two Lucky Brand jeans to a gorgeous 2000s-inspired dress, my finds were only a fraction of the many clothes that gained a new life. As an avid stylist of hand-me-downs and thrifted clothing, it was empowering to see the Chaffey community come together and reduce clothing waste, reuse fabrics and re-wear.