The Big Shwop - Auckland

MEDIA RELEASE

The Big Shwop - Auckland

Saturday September 26, 11 am – 4 pm

The Langham Auckland, 83 Symonds St, Auckland

After it’s huge success in Wellington, New Zealand’s largest clothes swapping event ‘The Big Shwop’ is coming to Auckland this September.

‘The Big Shwop’ is an exciting, social event that provides an opportunity for women to recycle and reuse their clothes while still remaining fashionable. Organisers describe the concept of ‘shwopping’ as: “an event that brings people and their wardrobes together for an afternoon of shopping that won’t make a dent on their bank accounts or their conscience.”

The way the event works is simple - people bring along their unwanted, barely worn quality clothes and exchange them for vouchers. When the Shwop begins, shwoppers 'cash in' their vouchers for any of the other lovely threads on offer. Shwoppers are also treated with live music, wine & refreshments and a few other surprises on the day.

The event is being held at Auckland’s five-star hotel, The Langham, which is well known for its sustainability credentials and ongoing work with environmental awareness in the hospitality industry. Last year it was awarded the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand’s top sustainability award and has an Enviro-Gold award from Qualmark New Zealand. Organisers of the event are thrilled to be collaborating with a business that has such a solid commitment to reducing their effect on the environment.

Some big name brands have also come on board as product sponsors to give keen shwoppers even more bang for their buck. Shwoppers will be the first in New Zealand to try MOMO Wine’s new fully certified 2009 MOMO Sauvignon Blanc and can enjoy a free glass before the event begins. Triology and The Eco Store are also providing some fantastic eco-friendly products for all shwoppers.

“Since we started 'The Big Shwop' in April 2008 we have had an amazingly positive response to the concept and we are very excited to be able to bring the event to a whole new group of people in New Zealand’s largest city,” says co-founder and event organiser Sarah Hopkins.

'The Big Shwop' is an event that embodies the growing awareness of the unsustainable nature of our consumer cultures. For many, it is now trendy to not only be fashionable but also eco-conscious. Big Shwop organiser Inga Boyd believes strongly that, “People now care a lot more about where their clothes come from and also how much they are spending on them. It’s often hard to make those two things work together but ‘The Big Shwop’ is an excellent way to put both those values into practice.”

The event is being held at the end of Air New Zealand Fashion Week and co-organiser Chrissy McGonigal says it’s very timely: “We are huge supporters of the New Zealand fashion industry and want to get the message out for people to buy less, but buy quality... and then shwop."

Organisers are also keen to point out that the event is not about getting rid of worn out, dated clothes from the bottom of the rag bag. It is about being brave and reusing the good quality, fashionable items you have by exchanging them with other great clothes that you’ll love even more. “We want to encourage people to see new ways of updating their wardrobes, and maybe even changing their styles, without always having to consume more resources by buying new things,” says Miss Hopkins.

Keen shwoppers should pre-register for the event by visiting the website - www.thebigshwop.co.nz - to secure a place on the day. The event is $10 on the door.

ends

© Scoop Media