DENVER, Dec. 8, 2025 – The inaugural National Clothing Swap Day, coordinated by the nonprofit groups Environment America and PIRG, took place with events across the country on Saturday, December 6. From Oakland, California to Charleston, Massachusetts swappers escaped the stress and expense of holiday shopping and gathered at community events to both declutter and update their wardrobes. 

“Tis’ the season to be jolly, but too often, the pressure to buy and consume makes it much less so. That’s why we started National Clothing Swap Day. Instead of trashing the clothes we no longer wear and buying more, we can share what we have with other people in our community,” said Celeste Meiffren-Swango, who coordinated National Clothing Swap Day for Environment America. “Swaps bring people together to help the planet, as well as to save money and have fun. We look forward to making National Clothing Swap Day even bigger next year.” 

Events that took place on this year’s National Clothing Swap Day include:

  • Boston, Massachusetts: a winter clothing swap at La Saison Bakery in Charlestown. The first 15 people got a free cookie!
  • Chicago, Illinois: a “Swap and Mend” event at Books4Cause bookstore, swaps at Dollop cafe and University of Chicago.
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota: a swap event at Wildflyer coffee shop.
  • Oakland, California: a winter clothing swap at the main branch of the public library.
  • Portland, Oregon: a winter clothing swap at Wonderwood Springs cafe, a “Sip and Swap” at Steeplejack Brewing.
  • Saugerties, New York: a swap event at Cantine’s Island Cohousing common house.
  • Scranton, Pennsylvania: a swap event at “Snow Much Fun Free Community Day” at Everhart Museum.

In addition, organizers received numerous requests for tips and information from people organizing informal, private events with friends and family across the country. 

Americans are buying more clothes today than ever before. On average, we buy 53 new items of clothing per year — four times as much as in the year 2000. Too often, these extra clothes either clutter our closets or are thrown away. Globally, 92 million metric tons (more than 101 million tons) of clothing are sent to landfills each year. 

“Whether it’s through clothing swaps or other ways to reuse things such as repair cafes or tool libraries, increasing numbers of people are experiencing a less wasteful, and more pleasant, way to live our lives,” said Andre Delattre, senior vice president and chief operating officer, program, The Public Interest Network. “Most of us have more than we need. Let’s make 2026 the year we resolve to kick the overconsumption habit and instead, swap, mend, borrow and share more of our stuff.”