The Swap Project
NEXT!
Kitchenwear Swap & Potluck
Monday October 26th
SEED Lab 1st Floor
111 W. 6th Ave
5:30-7:30pm
Men's Clothing Swap
Monday November 9th
Akela Space
320 W. 6th Ave #132F
6-8 pm
Upcoming Swaps
December 2026 | Misfit Gifts
January 2027 | Textile & Fiber Art Materials Swap
February 2027 | Men's Clothing Swap
March 2027 | Kitchenware Swap and Plot Luck
April 2027 |Women's Clothing Swap
The Swap Project is an ongoing series of free public swaps in Anchorage, starting in 2023. It began with clothing swaps, which I have been participating in since I was a teenager. There’s a special kind of joy that comes from digging through piles of things at a swap. It’s the anticipation of what might be unearthed, surrounded by friends, future friends, and possibilities.
Since then the Anchorage swaps have expanded beyond clothing to include men's clothing, kitchenware, and textile art materials.
The best way to find out about these events is through my email newsletter
How does a Swap work?
Everything is free. It’s an indirect swapping model. Things are sorted into categories, and everyone is invited to dig through the piles and see what they find. The idea is to gather people around resources that already exist and create ways for those resources to stay in use.
The swaps are large, casual gatherings. Showing up is the most important part. You are invited to bring something, but you don’t have to. Some people come to drop things off and leave empty-handed. Some come looking for something they need. Some have enough and come just to hang out, help, and see what they might find.
Yes, it’s personal. I like getting things for free. Not spending money means I can spend my time, energy, and other resources somewhere else.I also want to participate in a world where circularity is designed into the things in our lives and the systems that create them. I’m interested in what happens when we treat the things we already have as resources rather than assuming we need to buy something new.
I want to participate in a culture where swapping, sharing, borrowing, and giving things away happen more readily than purchasing. The swaps are one small way to experiment with what that could look like.
The things that remain after a swap are sometimes donated to local nonprofits. I see that as a positive byproduct of the gathering, not its primary purpose. What brings me back is the delight of finding something unexpected, getting something for free, and creating a reason for people to gather.
