Quinnipiac University students are encouraging sustainable fashion habits through a student-led clothing swap, aiming to reduce clothing waste on campus.
Mentees from The Grove, freshman radiologic sciences major Emma Tran and sophomore nursing major Katelyn Smyth, are helping lead the initiative as part of their living-learning environment’s required annual project.
“Our group in the grove is the environmental and sustainability group, so the whole point of the clothing swap is to promote reusing clothes, reduce fast fashion and produce less waste,” Tran said.
The initiative reflects a broader push among students to adopt more sustainable habits and reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Tabling for the clothing swap takes place every Tuesday during common hour and will continue through April 2. Students can donate gently used clothing or pick up items free of charge, encouraging a cycle of reuse within the campus community. The project was developed earlier this year after students brainstormed different ideas for their group assignment.
“We spent a lot of time brainstorming at the beginning of the year as a group… we had a list of different things we could do, and then we chose this one,” Tran said.
Students meet weekly to organize the event and coordinate responsibilities, with volunteers rotating shifts at the table in the Carl Hansen Student Center Rotunda Lounge.
While still in its early stages, the initiative has already grown. Tran and Smyth noted this is only the second week of the swap, and they anticipate more donations as students return from spring break and begin cleaning out their closets. Donations so far have included seasonal clothing items such as sweaters, shorts, pants and athletic wear.
The group is also working to increase awareness by collaborating with a social media team and posting promotional materials across campus. Despite some challenges with participation and communication within the larger program, organizers remain optimistic about the project’s impact.
“We’re working with the social media group to try to promote this and get our flyer posted around campus. Hopefully word of mouth helps — we’re definitely telling everybody,” Smyth said.