Enjoying fashion sustainably: Closing the circular loop

Two local sustainable fashion initiatives come together to hold a fashion swap for pre-loved items as a way to reduce wastage. With clothes for all ages, find out how you can make a difference in a child’s life for the better through attending this family edition pop-up.

Vendors of the Zero Market fashion swap event setting up their pop-up booths at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC) with a diverse range of fashion items. (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)

Can you recall how often you put on a shirt before throwing it away?

If you are clueless or just guilty of silence about it, you are not alone. Most of us keep buying new clothes instead of repeatedly wearing them until they are worn and torn.

According to the statistics by the National Environment Agency, in the year 2021, households in Singapore generated a 38 per cent increase in textile and leather waste from 137,000 to 189,000 tonnes compared to the year 2020, of which only 4 per cent was recycled.

With fast fashion continuing to hit the mainstream scene, the rise of wastage in clothes continues.

Together with the two fashion initiatives, Cloop and fumbles & jumbles, another round of the family edition fashion swap to combat such wastage comes back with a mission.

As part of the sustainability-themed weekend market called Zero Market (every first and third weekends), the long-awaited fashion swap family edition event was held from Sep 3 to 4 at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC).

Zero Market was launched in January 2022 after much delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Living up to its name, the event focuses on the sustainability theme by going zero meat, zero plastic and zero waste. This is to help with reducing carbon emissions and conserving natural resources.

Vendors of the Zero Market fashion swap event setting up their pop-up booths at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC) with a diverse range of fashion items. (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)

Sense and Sustainability

Families browse for clothing at Cloop’s pop-up booth during the Fashion Swap event held at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC). (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)

This rendition of the fashion swap was held during the September holiday with the intention to attract more families to attend the event.

Other than clothing for female and male adults, there was an area dedicated to an extensive collection of kids’ clothing.

As kids tend to outgrow their clothes quickly, swapping clothes is more sustainable and economical than having to keep buying new clothes for them as they continue to grow.

Attendees were encouraged to bring in a minimum of five pre-loved clothing and swap them for anything that catches their eye. Thus, the term “Fashion-Swap.”

Ms Tricia Tay, a 27-year-old mother who found out about the fashion swap through Instagram, has been looking forward to attending the event.

Ms Tay said: “It really allowed me to see the businesses in person apart from just being on Instagram, and also to speak to the owners and find more information regarding sustainable fashion.”

Families browse for clothing at Cloop’s pop-up booth during the Fashion Swap event held at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC). (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)
Ms Tricia Tay, 27, one of the event attendees who came all the way from the east side of the island with her family browsing through the items at one of the various pop-up stalls at Zero Market. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)

Making use of the “Open-Wardrobe” concept, where visitors pay with integrity for the clothing with a minimum price stated through PayNow or QR code. They can also choose to give more to show greater support for these initiatives.

When asked about the reason behind the initiative of Zero Market, Mr Hsu Che Wei, a Tzu Chi HYC representative said: “Living sustainably is really everybody’s effort. Inviting all groups of people, especially families to discover and learn more about sustainable living while also having fun.”

Ms Tricia Tay, 27, one of the event attendees who came all the way from the east side of the island with her family browsing through the items at one of the various pop-up stalls at Zero Market. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)
Mr Hsu Che Wei telling a member of the public about what goes on in the multi-purpose hall at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre during Zero Market. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)

Carefully Curated

The apparel and clothing are carefully placed on large tables and clothes racks according to specific categories like males and females. Spanning from activewear, tops, bottoms, basics, and shoes to accessories, there is more than you can imagine.

“We will also sort to upcycle before recycling,” said Ms Jasmine Tuan, 44, the co-founder of Cloop.

Some minor repairing and mending may be required before being placed up, such as working with tie-dye artists to recolour them to allow an extension of the use of life of the clothes.

Cultivating values in children

Ms Elyse Low Ying Tze posing by the fumbles & jumbles pop-up booth with the children's clothes at Zero Market. (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)

“They might think that it’s just a shirt that mommy and daddy bought for me,” said Ms Elyse Low Ying Tze, 35, the co-founder of fumbles & jumbles. “However, eventually, they might also learn to value the things they have.”

Through this fashion swap event, parents can educate children on the value of no matter how small your action, it really does make a difference.

As part of the profit goes onto a child sponsorship programme under Compassion International, whereby, a sum of money is donated to fund a child’s basic necessities such as food, education, and medical care every month. Furthermore, it provides them opportunities to attend enrichment classes and receive a birthday gift of their choice.

Ms Elyse Low Ying Tze posing by the fumbles & jumbles pop-up booth with the children's clothes at Zero Market. (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)
Ms Elyse Low Ying Tze (from the left) shows a family the clothes available at fumbles & jumbles’s pop-up booth. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)

“It is like a small life lesson, but it really goes into their (the children’s) mind,” Ms Low emphasised that adults should plant a seed with the hope they are more aware of the great impact they are making via fashion swap.

By frequently exposing them to more similar kinds of events, children will learn that the use of clothes is much longer, and they can wear them repeatedly by taking proper care.

Ms Elyse Low Ying Tze (from the left) shows a family the clothes available at fumbles & jumbles’s pop-up booth. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)

Small steps to sustainability

Ms Jasmine Tuan (from the left) shows a member of the public the clothes available at Cloop’s pop-up booth. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)

Cloop, which handles adult fashion for both men and women, was also present at the fashion swap. This circular fashion initiative was co-founded by Ms Yin Ling Tan and Ms Jasmine Tuan, both left their industries in finance and marketing communications to focus on this initiative full-time.

Ms Jasmine Tuan said that it is important to “wear your values” as many people know the detrimental effects of fast fashion but chose to turn a blind eye, due to not wanting to give up the luxury of fast fashion of being affordable and easy to find.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the fashion industry produces about 8 percent of global carbon emissions and 20 percent of global wastewater.

The unsustainable practices in the industry result in negative environmental effects such as the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Ms Jasmine Tuan (from the left) shows a member of the public the clothes available at Cloop’s pop-up booth. (Photo: Subha Lakshmi)
Ms Jasmine Tuan (from the right) collecting clothes from a member of the public that had brought it from home at Cloop’s pop-up booth. (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)

“What we are trying to do is close the fast fashion loop because we want to circulate good items that are reusable. That’s the best form of recycling,” said Ms Jasmine Tuan.

Through this circular fashion initiative, Cloop hopes to promote awareness through small steps in showcasing a sustainable and ethical alternative to fast fashion.

Zero Market happens on the first and third weekends of every month. Those who are interested in the event can go onto Zero Market’s social media page to find out more! The organiser will update the latest happenings on Zero Market’s social media platform that you should not miss!



This piece was produced as part of the Diploma in Mass Communication of the Republic Polytechnic in collaboration with the Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre.

Writer: Ng Miao Qin Megan & Muhammad Fathullah b Muhammad Sharil
Photographer: Daniel Bryan Baylon Macapinlac; Subha Lakshmi D/O Nilavazhagan & Han Xinyi

Ms Jasmine Tuan (from the right) collecting clothes from a member of the public that had brought it from home at Cloop’s pop-up booth. (Photo: Daniel Bryan Bayon Macapinlac)