It is environmentally friendly, but especially good for people on a budget. A loan shop for carnival clothing opened in Breda on Wednesday. Partygoers can pick up a second-hand outfit for free and return it after jumping and jumping. “Money should not play a role in carnival.”
Jasper takes a leisurely look around and then picks up a red hat with a yellow flower and puts it on. “How do you think it looks?” he asks. He can take it with him, but he must bring it back. No problem for Jasper who also goes to try on some trousers.
“People with little money sometimes have to choose between eating or buying carnival clothing.”
The loan shop for carnival clothing is an initiative of the Kielegat Foundation and devised by Karen Leclercq. “It’s good against waste,” she says. “But we also want Carnival to be for everyone. People who have little money sometimes have to choose between buying food or buying clothes. This can mean that they cannot celebrate the Carnival because they cannot dress up. That is dear to my heart. and that is why we, together with the municipality, help them so that they do not have to make that choice.”
Jasper comes out of the changing room and has put on a pair of colorful clown pants. After some hesitation, on Karen’s advice, he opts for blue hippie pants. “I’m currently in a bit of a pinch financially, so this is a good solution. It’s free and I just have to leave my details so they know I won’t run away with it. I’m very happy with it.”
“Clothes also go to the Ukrainian refugees.”
A little further away, Rosalie is browsing through the clothing racks. “I’m looking to see if there’s anything fun in there,” she says. “I like this idea. It’s better for the environment that we don’t buy new things every year.”
The loan shop for carnival clothing is temporarily part of Parels, a thrift store in the Houtmarktpassage. All carnival clothing is second-hand and collected from a free market and three collection points. “Some of the clothing also goes to the Ukrainian refugees in the Dome and a children’s home in Bavel,” said Karen Leclercq. “So they can also celebrate carnival.”
“We notice that there is shame among parents and children if they do not have a carnival costume.”
This also applies to a number of children from the Weilust primary school in Breda. That’s why assistant mother Eva Hos is looking around at Parels. “We create a small carnival shop at school with the clothes we borrow here,” she says. “Then the children who don’t have a package can choose something and still participate.”
“We notice that there is some shame among parents and children. Children are kept at home or they themselves say that they think Carnival is stupid. But if you ask further, you find out that they just need a package. You can solve this by borrowing and they have just as nice a day as the rest.”
