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When we throw a garment, we underestimate it
A few years ago, the Vilnius County Waste Management Center (VAATC) noticed that people throw away too many good things. Feeling sorry, the employees decided to set up stops for DĖK, where people could bring unnecessary items and those who wanted them could pick them up free of charge. This year, the system was complemented by the M.Paukste boutique.
According to Milda, the idea of exchanging things had been close to her for some time, although she did not actively participate in the exchange. It all started slowly, organizing events last summer and inviting people to various workshops.
“An acquaintance offered to exchange things, clothes and I saw that people are interested. Not only do we not have many opportunities to qualify, but there is not much room to exchange things that are no longer necessary. The stops in Vilnius are on the outskirts, so if you have an unnecessary bag of clothes, but you don’t have a car, it is not very convenient to go there ”, remembers M.Paukštė at the beginning.
That is why he had the idea to offer this idea to VAATC. Until then, Milda, who had her own Denim Diaries textile remodeling studio, was engaged in jeans processing there, and since the end of August she has been accepting unnecessary items from people. Small appliances, clothes, shoes, jewelry, books, toys, dishes arrive at the boutique.
“I redesign jeans in various ways: I repair, update, remove imperfections, rebuild into aprons, shopping bags, accessories. Jeans, although worn, have a lot of fabric that is good and can last. And I have a reception in the boutique, then those items go to the stops once a week, ”says M.Paukštė.
DĖK personal album / apartment photo album
The woman, who lives in a small space, says the project was originally scheduled for just two months, but that it ran until February 1 a few days ago. According to Milda, such a system is an unavoidable accent of a conscious society.
“Naturally, when you need a skirt, you go to the store. But when that skirt is no longer needed, the question arises of where to put it. Discarding is the easiest, but when we discard a garment, we immediately underestimate it – all the effort that went into creating that garment. For example, when raising children, there are a lot of unnecessary clothes.
Still, people appreciate that the time they spend selling an item or specifically giving away something becomes more valuable than the item itself. Then it becomes a pity to waste time searching and goes to the garbage, ”explains M.Paukštė.
Discarding is the easiest, but when we throw away a garment, we immediately underestimate it – all the effort that went into creating that garment.
DĖK personal album / apartment photo album
Living like this is more responsible
According to Milda, there are no grand criteria for accepted items: it is important that clothing is clean, neat, suitable for use, and that items are not torn. Since people have heard this request, practically everything travels to the boutique and customers can enjoy almost new items.
“If an item is broken and has lost its function, it should not be taken to the boutique. The shoes we receive are usually almost new. Once a student came in, he said: “I came to look around, these shoes were also given away?” I said, yes, they are waiting for a trip to the stop, but if they want, they can try it.
He says, “OMG I saved up, I was going to buy shoes for the fall, here’s my size.” It is very fun for a person to discover an object that arrives unnecessary, and for someone it has become the main autumn shoe, it becomes an object they dreamed of ”, the woman rejoices.
However, there are elements that are not suitable. M.Paukštė remembers receiving even those he did not know how to use: a frame was packed in the box, which had to be built. From the memory also arises a joyous memory of the outdated jacket that he brought to the boutique, which was later recovered by his hostess.
“When the weather is good, we put away the clothes we offer to people to pick up on the hanger. A woman brought clothes several times, then, I look, she goes with her daughter, picked something up, took it away. I went out to pick up the remaining hanger, I wished you a good day and I see that she picked up the jacket that she had brought.
And the story was that the daughter gave the jacket to the mother, the mother did not put it on and brought it to us. The daughter, when she saw his jacket, says: “Very good jacket, I will still want to wear it.” People see their things differently, ”Milda laughs.
People somehow see their things differently
DĖK personal album / apartment photo album
M.Paukštė also remembers one of the first customers who came from blusturg: “As he said: I sold this one, but not all, and I already said goodbye to those things with my thoughts. Is it now to take them home again, to take them to the blusturg next weekend, to wait for buyers? Calculate whether it is worth it or not. For DEK, the items in the system are priceless, but they have value. “
On average, 6 bags full of clothes arrive at the boutique every day, but people only remove about 6 pieces from the hanger. If no one wants the clothes, Milda waits all week for them to come and pick them up at the stops.
“It would be a lot more fun if the day went by and the hanger was empty. It happens that people see something and say: “What a pity that that color, it is a pity that here it has a size 38, and I need 40”. But people look at things that are no longer necessary. Not because they don’t have them or can get them for free, but to live more responsibly than buying new ones, ”says M.Paukštė.
Even Milda, who is shopping for a wedding dress in a boutique, says that generally those who bring clothes want her to live long: “Sometimes I ask people what destination they want for their belongings. It is often mentioned that you would like to go to the missing ones or look for curiosities. They look at this world responsibly. “
DĖK personal album / apartment photo album
I would not want to sell items
When asked about success, M.Paukštė says it would be difficult to measure it. According to the woman, it is important that a voluntary initiative that does not generate income carries out education and gives people a new perspective on the things they do not need.
“Neither the people who bring an item pay, nor do we sell that item. But education is an area that sustains the life of a boutique. As long as there were no restrictions due to the pandemic, we did creative workshops, I did social networks myself, I presented what people bring. It is good that the workshop gives a new approach to the reuse of things, and the further we go, the more often we exchange things, ”says Milda.
According to M.Paukste, the idea of selling unnecessary items did not arise, because then the boutique would become a simple second-hand store, and the mission would be different.
“Here people give and receive in good faith, there is another angle of attitude. It is always easier to throw an item or put it in a textile container. Now bring me, greet me, the clothes left to give away need to be washed. But the number of people who are sad to throw something good away is increasing, ”says the happy woman.
It is more difficult to survive with this principle, but additional activities, VAATC, help to generate income, only that the situation is complicated by a pandemic: “I contribute to the life of the boutique with my jeans recycling activities. Support is also provided by VAATC, whose complementary activities contribute to the maintenance of the premises. And generating profits is a challenge, you have to sell what you create or some kind of service, the knowledge that you have. If you act, you will always find ways. There are many easier ways to trade and earn money. I felt that it is not easy to survive in Lithuania from such activities.
The pandemic fixed everything. I feel like the action is slowing down in the old town, there are no tourists who can give a chance to experience the boutique. “
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