INSIDE THE TRASHIE X FASHION JOURNAL CLOTHING EXCHANGE
6 March 2024 | Words by Evie Dinkelmeyer
A Trashie clothing exchange is a thrifter’s utopia: bring along a few garments you’re happy to part with, and swap them for tokens at the event. Then, it’s a cashless shopping frenzy – you can swap your tokens for any of the clothing on the racks. I joined in on the fun at the Trashie x Fashion Journal clothing exchange last Saturday.
For Trashie co-founders and sisters Katie and Angela, the brand is a step towards a more circular fashion economy, where “micro trends and predatory fast fashion businesses really phase out.” They want to ensure that sustainability is prioritised over profit.
The sisters are combating overconsumption of both fast fashion and vintage clothing – at the event, you leave with the same amount of clothes you arrived with.
Katie, who came up with the idea for Trashie, had a light bulb moment when she overheard a group of people holding overflowing bags of op shop clothes, complaining about how expensive second hand shopping has become.
“I thought, there has to be a market [in swapping] ... otherwise we’re going to be overshopping from op shops, taking away from people who really need those clothes ... when people scour op shops and do all the resale stuff, sell them on Depop ... I find that really unethical.”
On their love for fashion, Katie shares that “growing up, we didn't have the money to go and buy new things, but Mum had this love for op shopping and I think that carried through onto us.” She now has a degree in Fashion Merchandising.
For Angela, second hand shopping is all about the “beauty in experiencing clothing as an adventure ... you can find your style yourself, not being fed fast fashion trends.”
There’s no doubt the demand for second hand fashion is growing, but Angela worries there are “holes in the industry ... they’re all growing with this business mindset, whereas Trashie’s [focus is on] sustainability and community.”
The Trashie event is filled with Melbournites of all ages browsing the racks, balancing drinks, coat hangers and clothes in their hands, to the backdrop of live DJ Sickpig. It has a real community feel. Katie says “I always love when you see the swappers interacting with each other being like, Oh My God, that looks amazing on you!’”
Moving forward, the sisters dream of opening up a Trashie concept or consignment store – like the clothing exchange event, but permanently in action. It’s definitely one to look out for.
“I was at a vintage shop recently and the girl that works there ... [admitted] ‘a lot of this is from Shein and we just take the tags off, and mark it up like $100’ ... I think it defeats the whole purpose.”
