Green recycling has been a relatively new concept in the 21st century; we are accustomed to the phrase “out with the old and in with the new.” However, SFU student Leah Bjornson has been challenging this mindset, promoting green recycling of clothing with her non-profit organization.

June 15 marked the third annual Wear to Care clothing swap, a non-profit organization aimed at promoting the green philosophy of recycling clothes while collecting donations for homeless youth aged 13 to 24 in the Downtown Eastside, in conjunction with the Covenant House Vancouver.

Held at North Vancouver’s Carson Graham Secondary School at 2145 Jones Avenue from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the clothing swap took in gently worn clothes, especially those geared towards summer, and also accessories such as shoes, bags, and even sports equipment.

Anyone who donated three or more items was eligible to take home one free item of their choice. People who were looking to swap clothes also had the opportunity to take home great steals such as a BCBG Maxazria dress or even new items with the tags still on them. The clothing swap was not only geared towards the less fortunate or those who wanted to swap items, but it also stressed the importance of “going green” and reusing what is already available.

The idea was started by SFU student Leah Bjornson and friend Alyssa Salt, and it came about as a hobby of swapping unwanted clothes between their group of friends as a means to recycle and reuse those items that they no longer wish to own or wear.

“It became apparent that the clothes that were being swapped were not the particular styles that we would wear or had the right fit. We wanted to expand, to get the word out, and to enact change,” Bjornson explained.

Missing the extracurricular activities that they had once participated in during secondary school, this hobby of theirs quickly transpired into a worthy cause in partnering with Covenant House Vancouver in the Fall of 2011. With winter approaching, Bjornson and Salt wanted to help the homeless population stay warm by providing them with the necessary clothing.

Covenant House was chosen in particular because, unlike other charities such as the Salvation Army, they do not resell the items and are not profit-based. In the past two clothing swaps, geared towards winter and spring donations, upwards of 500 items were donated at each swap with approximately 50 or more people in attendance.

A large part of the donations were collected before the actual event, which Bjornson laments, “It’s crazy how difficult it is to get people to come and take ‘free’ things!” Nevertheless, Bjornson feels proud of what her and Salt have accomplished.

“It’s nice to have an initiative that you started yourself and that you feel you are making a difference even if it’s small. We’re aiming to show the younger generation that they do not have to go out and buy expensive things and that they can learn to recycle to make the earth a greener and more hospitable place to live in,” stated Bjornson.