Written by Pioquinta
Giving away free clothes during a time when overconsumption of fast fashion is at an all-time high may be considered a radical act, but the three co-founders of Preloved Reloved RGV believe that it should be considered the norm. In Latinx culture, swapping clothes, giving hand-me-downs to our younger siblings, or dresses for special occasions are considered the norm, especially for low-income families— it was our way of thrifting before thrifting became mainstream.
Mitzi, Aimee, and Avi decided to join forces after recognizing the increase in thrifting prices and the lack of affordable options for people who actually were in need of good clothing, and so Preloved Reloved RGV was born.
92 million tons of textile waste is produced every year. The overproduction and overconsumption of clothing and the increase in clothing hauls and microtrends are some of the contributing factors to the insane amount of textile waste ending up in our landfills. To put it simply, fast fashion does nothing more than pollute our planet, exploit workers, and encourage consumerism.
Although thrifting is supposed to be an affordable option for clothing, the rise in its popularity, inflation, and online reselling have contributed to the overall increase in prices at corporate thrift stores like Goodwill. The increase in prices has caused a lack of affordability in good quality clothing.
“Preloved Reloved RGV is a wonderful group and ideology for the RGV community. It feels amazing that we can give people access to clothing without a price. Everyone deserves to feel great in what they wear!”
Community clothing swaps are a way to bring back that affordability to people in the community who need it the most; low-income families, houseless individuals, and children in need. While clothing swaps and free clothing giveaways are not a new concept, it was a source of inspiration for Preloved Reloved RGV.
Preloved’s mission is to give back, help with people’s outlooks on life, and promote sustainability. Their three pillars include:
“At its core, Preloved isn’t just a clothing swap. It’s community care.”
Preloved, Reloved RGV was born after a clothing swap among friends at a local park in April. Friends gathered, exchanged clothing, and kept leftover clothes to do it again. On Sunday, May 7th, Preloved gathered once more for their first official clothing swap. Over 100 people showed up, excited to pick from the piles of clothes donated by friends and strangers alike. All clothing was given away for free, with plenty left for the next one.
This weekend, on Sunday, June 4th, the second official clothing swap will take place at Bill Schupp Park in McAllen, Texas. If you support fashion, giving back, and sustainability in the community, Preloved Reloved RGV is a small and mighty organization to watch!
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