Exchanges are an increasingly popular form of ecological and affordable bargain "hunting" By getting rid of unnecessary items and often finding useful things and unexpected "treasures", we are contributing to the growing phenomenon of a sustainable circular economy. Charity foundations and their beneficiaries also use this form of barter, because everything left over from exchanges is donated to such institutions.

Swap items may include clothes, accessories, small electronic and household appliances, books, CDs or DVDs, toys, interior design elements, and many other things that are easy to bring to such an event and then take home. It is important that these things are in good condition, clean, and working - a Swap Party is not a garbage dump, but an opportunity to meet people, spend a nice time with friends, and at the same time an opportunity to give away what we don't need and possibly find what we need instead of buying new products. It's a great way to take care of the environment and your wallet!

As Ethy we started a series of swap parties in 2013 under the Polish label "Dzielmy się!" (“Let’s share!”). These were run in public schools and community centers in Poland. We now also encourage you to organize such an event in your own neighborhood!

However, while the concept of such an event is quite simple, organizing a Swap Party can be a bit of a challenge! We invite you to use our "SWAP PARTY - STEP BY STEP" guide, which will hopefully help you organize your plan even better 🙂

• Choose a theme for the event. Do you want everything to be there, or do you prefer to narrow your target audience to parents with young children who want to trade toys and other children’s accessories? Or maybe you only care about exchanging clothes with people who have a similar size to yours?
• Find a spatious place that can accommodate the anticipated number of people with the items they brought(tables where the items can be spread out on can be helpful). It can be, e.g. a school, a common room, or a community center.
• Find charitable organizations, foundations, or other initiatives in your area that will be able to pick up whatever is left after the swap event and who will make sure it all goes to those in need. These can include orphanages, shelters for refuges, single-mother homes, orphanages, hospitals, schools, etc.
• Choose a date that will will work for the following:
• owners of the selected location
• institutions involved (will be able to arrange transport within that day)
• local residents who work and study 
• effective swap event promotion (minimum 2-3 weeks ahead)
• Now that you have decided where, with whom, and when you are organizing a Swap Party, let your local communityknow about the event: find any websites, Facebook groups, or public figures related to your town and contact them to spread the word. You can even create a Facebook event where you include all the necessary information.
• E-mail us at hello@ethymaps.com about the details of your swap party (date, place, organizations involved, rules of your Swap Party) - in the title put "Swap Party - your CITY". We will be happy to support you in promoting the event on our social networks and through the Ethy newsletter.

However, the message about the swap should also reach people who do not use the Internet. Check if you can:

• create posters for your Swap Party out of materials that may seem like rubbish - newspaper cuttings, sheets of paper dirty on one side, etc. 
• alternatively, design a poster on your computer and print it on recycled paper; you can find sample posters for your swap party HERE
• contact public and politically active people in your locality - if they hear about such an initiative, they will be able to mention it in a public forum.
• find out if there is a support service for families in need in your area, which will inform them about the exchange and encourage them to come along
• spread the information by word of mouth among your friends, within your family, and to people on your street
• ask the headmasters of the schools in your locality to pass on information about the swap to the parents.

The Swap Party you initiate will certainly help many people, the environment and will be an important step towards a better future!

Remember to contact each of the co-organisers and partners of the event a few days before the swap to confirm details of the event.

Good luck!