Swap - Trying Something New!
Dear Creatives,
I’m trying something different this Autumn 2024 Swap. I am going to take the clothing back to SFC HQ and re-distribute the leftovers myself from SFC. Ever innovating, developing and dreaming new ideas up, I followed my instincts on this one! And may change again after this time. Who knows! I’ll always be transparent.
If you are on the SFC mailing list, you get a 700 yen discount if you pay through the Peatix ticketing system.
The next swap will be Saturday October 5th at Blink Roppongi.
Gorgeous swappers, finding their treasures
For many years, we partnered with H&M, having been introduced by their then Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Angela Ortiz Pettas and continuing that relationship with her replacement, Shige. This partnership has been really convenient and fruitful…
YET…
the last time I took the bags to H&M I felt sad. I felt that feeling of Mottainai - the regret of throwing something away that could have had a use. I knew they were off to H&M’s partners, yet felt I wanted to take care of their next life. My husband described it, that everything has a soul. (I talk about this with Victoria Close on the Legends Podcast, she was recently my guest, and she will also be showing her recycled goods at the next swap…)
However, now I‘m interested in recycling the goods myself. Bringing the goods home, and sorting and categorising them myself, then deciding what to do with them from here! I may resell them, take them to the local recycle shop, bag them and sell them on by size, or maybe even look for a pop-up opportunity. I’ll lovingly separate them, bag up the regular items into size bags. Resell the beautiful items. Maybe. We’ll see - it feels ambitious but also exciting. Creative entrepreneurs gonna creatively entrepreneur.
During the year we were using Ryozan Park, we took the items to the recycle store, Wattman, where we received modest pay backs ranging from 300 yen to 1,300 yen. For 10 bags. But I know that they dispose of the clothes that are not resalable or profitable for them. So I prefer H&M, where all garments are categorised and given a use, from resale items to items for rags.
I had never felt this regret before. I always felt great taxi-ing the garments up to H&M Shibuya and saying goodbye to them. But now I want to do that myself!
OH HELL NO!
Said one friend, who knows me and her own preferences well, upon hearing I wanted to take 10-15 huge bags of goods back to my home to sort through; and she is probably right! But I feel like that’s what I want to do. It feels like fun and it feels like a potential new business idea for SFC. Recycling and reselling the spoils of the swap.
At the very least, it will still end up at the local recycle shop, or on a recycle site on Facebook or the likes, so the goods will remain in circulation and out of landfill, which is always one of the backbones of the swap. To keep the goods in circulation and out of landfill.
Victoria Close appeared on the Podcast in Season 8
We talked about Mottainai and that feeling of regret of not using something. I felt that as I was dropping off the clothes after the last swap.
This is part of SFCreative diversifying interests over the past 2 years - it’s fun, it’s fierce and it’s probably the most ridiculous idea having me pick through bags and bags of clothes! But I’m quite excited about it.
I will post pictures of me crying into the bags if I realise I’ve made a huge mistake!
So instead of H&M dealing with our leftovers, SFC will be dealing them! Maybe just this once! Maybe it will be a whole new arm of business - who knows? But the ethos remains the same. Sustainable Style and Conscious Consumption for the women of Tokyo.
I appreciate your support so much! Change can feel strange, especially when it involves business models changing or commercial matters. But I love how we support each others’ endeavours. Bikudesigns will be once again selling at the next swap!
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
There are so many things coming up this Autumn in the SFCreative world - Birthday month Coaching Special, Sautner & Frolic City Retreats, Grief Circle Live Rounds start and the next round of Ordinary Magic Writing workshops will run late Autumn into January! Have a rest first then …
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