The Montclair State University Fashion Club is looking toward the future of creating an eco-friendly environment.
On Wednesday, April 13, the fashion club held its own Swap Meet event. Students were asked to bring old clothes to swap out for new items and accessories. Recycling clothes creates a new home for old ones and stays away from the donating process which often hurts the environment in the end.
Brian Luna, a senior fashion studies major, took the lead on the Swap Meet as the president of the fashion club.
“Our initiative here today is just to get rid of everything,” Luna said. “We just don’t want to donate it because it ends up being thrown out in landfills. We want to re-home all the articles of clothing so we don’t have to go through that.”
Brian Luna, the president of the fashion club, was surprised and encouraged by the turnout at the Swap Meet.
Crystal Durham | The Montclarion
This swap and shop system helps students upgrade their wardrobes for the seasons to come. With the weather changing quickly, students are often caught giving their old clothes away before finding new staple pieces.
Catie Knecht, a sophomore visual arts major, loves how convenient it is to upgrade her wardrobe right on campus.
“I was going through my summer clothes today and I realized that half of them didn’t fit anymore,” Knecht said. “I thought it would be a good idea to come down here and see if there were any clothes.”
Catie Knecht (right), a sophomore visual arts major, with her friend at the Swap Meet.
Crystal Durham | The Montclarion
Knecht also believes giving away her clothes is a great way to help other students on campus as well.
“I have a bunch of cute clothes I would rather see someone else wear than [have] them sit in my closet for the next 10 years,” Knecht said.
Students find this event to be similar to the experience of shopping at their nearest thrift store. Caroline Atahualpa, a senior human science and human development major, sees the Swap Meet as a way to help experiment with fashion without the harmful effects on the environment or her wallet.
“I think it’s good because you can trade your old clothes in for new clothes, [and] I like thrifting a lot,” Atahualpa said. “I’m really trying to get into fashion but as of right now, I do thrifting, so this was the best thing today. I came here so fast. I caught two buses just to get here.”
Caroline Atahualpa, a senior human science and human development major, picks up some clothes from the Swap Meet.
Crystal Durham | The Montclarion
Shopping sustainably has become a serious topic due to all the positive benefits it brings to the environment. Reducing chemical pollution, carbon dioxide emissions and lowering water consumption are just some of the ways trading second-hand clothes helps the environment.
The fashion club is leading the way to create a better environment through fashion. With so much going on on campus, Luna was overwhelmed by the number of students at the event.
“It was nuts,” Luna said. “There were so many people here. I honestly didn’t expect such a great turnout. A lot of people were really into it and got stuff they liked.”
Due to the environmental impact and the great turnout of students, Luna confirmed before the event ended that there would be a part two for even more students to participate in.
“[I am] a thousand percent doing an event like this again, for sure,” Luna said.
