Fashion retailer Primark is venturing into the preloved clothing market with a new initiative: Swap Shops. 

Partnering with circular clothing company Verte, Primark will launch pop-up shops in select UK stores during September and October this year, allowing customers to exchange adult clothing items for free.

This trial coincides with London Fashion Week and aims to promote sustainable fashion practices by encouraging customers to extend the life of their garments. 

The Swap Shops will be open for a limited time in London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

How it works

Customers can bring up to five items of adult clothing, bags, hats, or scarves in good condition to the Swap Shop. 

Verte staff will then assess the items and provide digital tokens on the Verte app depending on the quality. 

These tokens can be used to acquire a preloved item from Verte's collection within the app.

High-quality items in near-new condition will receive special 'gold tokens' redeemable for other luxury preloved items.

Any unclaimed clothes will either be saved for future swaps, donated to local charities, or deposited in Primark's existing clothing donation boxes located across the UK.

Primark hopes the Swap Shops project will encourage customers to participate in the circular fashion economy, a system designed to minimise waste and resource consumption.

Expanding preloved options

This initiative builds on Primark's existing efforts to make preloved clothing more accessible. 

Since 2022, the retailer has partnered with the Vintage Wholesale Company to offer unique vintage finds in select stores under the 'Wornwell' brand.

Additionally, Primark runs 'Love it for Longer', a free repair workshop programme available both in-store and online, teaching customers basic garment maintenance skills.

Partnership benefits

“We’re really excited to be partnering with Primark on this Swap Shop initiative because they are passionate about driving in-store experiences, not only in London but across the UK," said Verte founder Jessica Brunt.

"Swapping is a great way to access preloved in an affordable and inclusive way and the more people who are exposed to the idea, the better it is for the planet and for the future of shopping.”

By partnering with Verte, Primark demonstrates its commitment to exploring sustainable practices and catering to customers seeking more eco-friendly fashion options. 

The Swap Shops pilot serves as a test bed for gauging customer interest in preloved clothing and potentially expanding such offerings in the future.