Ullapool Re-love Clothing Fair a hit with shoppers
Ullapool’s recent Re-love Clothing Fair was a great success – and organisers are now hoping to help more communities join the pre-loved revolution.
A steady stream of locals and visitors headed to Ullapool Village Hall on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15 to peruse pre-loved items of clothing and pick up a bargain at the event which was part of national Great Big Green Week.
Organiser Catriona Scott, community development officer at Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust said that some sellers bagged over £100 from selling on their items – with a 10 per cent commission going back to help stage future events.
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“There were some good bargains on offer – we had some good quality denim jackets, and lots of beautiful linen for summer,’” Catriona said. ‘It’s really easy to drop a bag with us and come and pick it up a few days later – it’s definitely a lot easier than selling your pre-loved clothes online.”
The Re-love Clothing Fair is an event set up in partnership with the community trust and Ullapool Unpacked, with the support of Highland Community Waste Partnership which says 65 per cent of household and business refuse in the Highlands is currently wasted in landfills and £104 million could be saved by capturing just one quarter of the materials currently wasted in landfill or low value recycling.
For organisers Catriona Scott and Evie Baker, founder of Ullapool Unpacked, it’s time to rest up and plan the next event which they say may have a children’s theme.
They are also working on a ‘how to’ guide for other communities which may wish to stage their own pre-loved clothing fairs.
“We’ve learned a lot in doing this and we’d like to share that knowledge so other places can set up their own events,” Catriona said.
“It would be great if there was legislation by the government to back up all the good things that are happening at community level. It’s nice to see people taking things into their own hands.”
Keep an eye on the Lochbroom & Ullapool Community Trust’s Facebook page for their next event, and if you are interested in volunteering or learning about setting up your own pre-loved clothing fair, get in touch with Catriona Scott at catriona@ullapoolcommunity.org
