Forget Black Friday sales, get a bargain and give your unwanted clothes a second life at Ballina Shire Council's upcoming community clothes swap on Saturday 6 December, from 11am to 1pm.
"Our first community clothes swap in 2024 was a huge success, thanks to the incredible community support. We're excited to bring it back this December, even bigger and better," said Justine Rowe, Council's Resource Recovery Education Officer.
"The average Aussie buys 55 new items of clothing each year, but around 6,000 kilos of clothing are sent to landfill every 10 minutes across the country. In Ballina alone, textiles make up 8% of the average kerbside landfill bin," explained Ms Rowe.
"Our upcoming community clothes swap and mending workshop is designed to tackle these challenges by encouraging a circular and sharing economy. It's a great opportunity for the community to refresh their wardrobe for summer, learn valuable repair skills, and connect with others in a fun and sustainable way," added Ms. Rowe.
The Clothes Swap and Creative Mending Workshop at Ignite Studios in Ballina is a free social event. Leave with unique pre-loved garments, new friends and the satisfaction of knowing your clothes have been saved from landfill and given to someone who will cherish them.
Clothes swap and creative mending workshop
When: 11am – 1pm, Saturday 6 December 2025*
Where: Ignite Studios at 60 Crane St, Ballina
Age: Open to all ages. Children will need to be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free
What to bring? Clean, quality clothing designed for all body types and genders. Availability of items on the day will depend on what other swappers bring. Maximum five items of clothing or accessories.
Pre-event clothing drop off
*Participants need to drop off their clothing in exchange for tokens before the event. Clothing must be dropped off prior to event start at 11am on 6 December.
Drop off times to Ignite Studios:
- 2pm to 5pm, Friday 5 December
- 10am to 11am, Saturday 6 December
Clothing mending workshop
Mending is a cost-effective, creative way to cut textile waste and extend the life of your clothes.
To help locals build these skills, Council has added a mending workshop to this year's Clothes Swap. Local maker Corinne Wilson will run a drop-in visible mending and repair space on the day.
Bring one or two items to repair, mend something you've found at the swap, or simply stop by to watch and join the conversation. No sewing experience is needed, and all tools and materials are supplied.
Whether it's a favourite pair of pants with a hole or a small fix you've been putting off, you'll learn simple hand-sewing techniques using scrap or recycled materials.
Event Schedule for Saturday 6 December
10am to 10:45am: Arrive at the venue, register and check in clothes and accessories to add to the swap collection pool (5 items maximum).
The event team will sort your items onto racks and tables. Head to the gallery next door and enjoy the exhibit, socialise or grab a coffee (don't forget your reusable cup) until the welcome and event briefing begins.
10:45am to 11am: Welcome briefing and sustainable fashion talk by Justine, Council's Resource Recovery Education Officer.
11am to 1pm: The swap officially begins for two hours of sustainable clothes browsing and swapping alongside the clothing repair and mending space.
Accessibility: Ignite Studios is an accessible venue, but please contact the Resource Recovery team for specific needs or requests
For more details on the event and swap guidelines, visit ballina.nsw.gov.au/textiles or contact the Resource Recovery team on 02 6686 1287.
The NSW EPA provided Ballina Council with a $32,400 grant under the third round of the Local Government Waste Solutions Fund, as part of the NSW Government's Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy. The project is funded through the waste levy.
