Right in front of the entrance of the sustainability center in Assen, it immediately stands out: a clothing rack, filled with bags, socks, scarves and sweaters. Only after searching does a lady just find a place for her blue jeans.
It is no coincidence that the rack was just around the door of the center today. “The first Tuesday of September is not just a day,” says Dieuwertje Vorstenbosch. “Then it is sustainable Tuesday.”
Vorstenbosch is the brain behind Free Fashion, a company that tries to make people aware of the content of their wardrobe throughout the Netherlands. And that often turns out to be fuller and more useless than expected.
“Two thirds of your wardrobe is waiting untouched for nothing,” she says. “We thought: that must be worn again. In our clothing carts, people can hand in clothing, exchange or take it for free.”
For the first time the clothing cart can now be found in Drenthe. Brothers or sisters of the cart have been found in other cities for years.
“It was really time that he came this way,” says Esther Leystra of the Sustainability Center. “It is an accessible way to make people think about sustainability.”
Moreover, the clothing cart is more than just a rack full of second -hand clothing: it is also a place of meeting. Both physical and online.
“Our other carts are touring the cities and are always in a different place. This way people get into conversation with each other, end up in app groups and more and more enthusiasts are participating,” explains Vorstenbosch. “We also want that in Assen.”
The ultimate goal? Give as much clothing as possible a second life. “If we all buy a little less and reuse a little more, we really make a difference.”
But that does not mean that you can just hang everything in the cart. “We don’t need dirty clothing here,” Vorstenbosch emphasizes. “Only clean, portable clothing can make someone else happy.”