An initiative in Prague is working to make sustainability more popular and improve people’s consumption habits. At the SWAP Festival, people regularly come together to trade their used items in order to live in an environmentally friendly way. In the open air, visitors trade the items they have brought with them.

The sun is shining in the afternoon on one of the last days of July over the Prague suburb of Ninowitz (Jinonice). People from the neighbourhood are gathering on the field to part with their old things and leave the event with newly found treasures. Carefully sorted clothes are hanging on racks, a few pairs of creative hand-crocheted socks and scarves lie casually on tables, and in boxes they find books and much more.

To participate, everyone is encouraged to bring something along. “Everyone just takes whatever they want. It is completely free. You can bring your own things and swap them,” explains one of the volunteers at the entrance to the festival grounds. Visitors curiously rummage through the boxes and browse the clothes hanging on racks. Young adults and casually dressed middle-aged women are particularly enthusiastic about the event. At the entrance, a small cash register collects donations. The organisers plan to hold a large event once or twice a month.

From the Vision to the First SWAP

The Swap Festival took place for the first time in 2016 and has been well-received by the community ever since. The organisers frequently receive positive feedback. “The goal is not just to swap, but to really make a difference. And for some people, it works. We’ve seen over the years, that they come to us and say, ‘Hey, I am no longer shopping, or shopping much less than I used to,’” says Kristýna Holubová, the initiative’s founder. Many people want to break free from consumerism and live more sustainably.

The idea is inspired by Béa Johnson from the U.S., who became famous for her minimal waste. She was able to collect a whole year’s worth of trash in just one jar. Following a conference with the climate activist, the first SWAP market was launched as a side event. But there is more to the concept: They themselves set high standards for the events - To change values. The goal is to be help take a step towards making local people more environmentally conscious. In addition to the event itself, they prepare lectures to educate people about sustainability through workshops. Larger “SWAPS” attract up to 800 people, who bring handbags, clothing, books, jewellery and plants. A group of volunteers helps sort all the items and quality managers go through everything beforehand to ensure the items are valuable.

Sustainability in the Czech Republic

Especially in the Czech capital, a number of initiatives promote environmental friendliness: Many secondhand shops have opened, people rent bicycles and exchange books in small libraries set up in phone booths. There are also online options for selling used items locally, users often post listings in local Facebook groups. Nevertheless, people in Czechia still buy a lot of things new and own more than they actually need. When looking back, Kristýna Holubová definitely sees a positive shift in the perception and popularity of a resource-conserving lifestyle. For Czechs, sustainability comes effortlessly in many ways because the people are surrounded by nature, but at the same time they love fashion and consume a large amount of relatively inexpensive clothing that is not worn for long. “All of the people, who enjoy picking mushrooms outdoors, constantly go to the river, and ride bikes everywhere - if they just took one small step further, we could be number one in terms of sustainability”, she said. For the future, she envisions a planet where not everything is polluted, where materials are not of poor quality and end up in the trash quickly, but a happy “slow fashion planet” where sustainability is a given to the community. For more information about the current events, visit the website swapprague.cz.

Maja Dauser