Big Wardrobe Shopping in UK

by Delia Montgomery November 14, 2009, 2:08 pm 47 Views

Emma, who helps run the Internet’s numero uno fashion recycling website, contacted me to ask if I could imagine opening my wardrobe and choosing from over 10 million outfits? Of course I replied with enthusiasm and she said “welcome to the future of Bigwardrobe.com.”

Emma explains that it’s like a small environmentally-friendly version of eBay. Yet the merchandise is strictly apparel with three categories of men, women, kids. Love the tailored coat offering pictured.

Fashion magazines, such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle, ― plus New York Times and The Daily Telegraph, praised Bigwardrobe.com in print, about the clothes swapping fashion phenomenon, ― as though it were a standing ovation for the times. Marie Claire published, “It’s everything we want to be right now – ethical, environmentally friendly and fabulous!”

Mid September Emma said that more than 125,000 pre-loved items were swapped or sold on the site, and that they built a strong international following with members in over 100 countries. That was just the women’s category!

But that’s not all. In addition to swapping, read about The Big Swish. That’s an organized program where clothes are brought to the venue for traveling swish events. Everything left over is donated to Cancer Research UK.

There is a huge and growing global movement to recycle fashion – which Bigwardrobe.com is pioneering, so check it out. Perhaps other countries will follow their motto: Stop clothes shopping, start clothes swapping.

Written by Delia Montgomery

I am Delia, d/b/a Chic Eco on www.ChicEco.com, and established myself as an eco fashion guru by learning "who makes what in the world of environmental fashion and design."

Enjoy reading some of my freelance writing about environmental design, fashion and art -- from both consumer and supplier perspectives. You may notice I focus most on individual eco designers, movers and shakers.

From sustainable fashion apparel to paint and flooring, discoveries are a rush. I get my kicks this way. I also offer sales representation of earth-friendly designed products for wholesale buyers. Retailers may take advantage of my services with factory-direct pricing. Spend less time sourcing and prevent green-washed purchases!

My other forte is connecting suppliers with business-to-business tools. Aspects of my business vary with consulting services while I'm proud to be the aide that embraces unique and innovative gigs.

I'm originally a Kentucky Blue Grass gal who relocated to Maui early 2006 and the tropical Puna District of Big Island, Hawaii late 2007. Walk the talk is my motto here.

Early 2009 I constructed a yurt home office in a semi-urban setting on a tiny lot. My water comes from the sky, contained in a catchment that's not likely to dry in this rain forest. The electric is designed for solar conversion. I grow about 30% of my food organically, compost, and recycle to the hilt. Permaculture with a full eco system is my gardening style.

In fact, gardening is my ultimate joy. I seek gigs like design, weeding and planting between other jobs. My love is Hawai'i which has more climate zones than any state. There are frequent earthquakes here, typically under a 3.0 magnitude, and I happen to dig the vibrations. It's a wonderful simple life in paradise. As I grow older and wiser, I become more and more grateful.