About 71% of students at J.M. Hanks High School are classified as economically disadvantaged, and nearly 95% identify as Hispanic, according to the Texas Tribune. The campus has added a student-run clothing exchange where students can obtain donated items without paying.
A campus-only exchange
The Forever Swap Boutique held its ribbon-cutting earlier this week and is open only to Hanks High students, KVIA reported. Students may bring gently used clothing to the school’s front desk and exchange it for other items at no cost.
Fashion design students handle the boutique’s donated inventory by cleaning and arranging clothing and managing the exchange, according to KVIA. Teacher Rita Sanchez Garcia said the project is intended to help students obtain needed clothing while giving families another campus resource. Senior Kenia Gomez told the station that participating students also gain experience with sorting clothing and interacting with people.
Practice beyond the classroom
A role for clothing reuse
The exchange also fits into a broader waste-reduction strategy. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 17 million tons of textiles entered the municipal solid waste stream in 2018; 14.7% were recycled and 11.3 million tons were sent to landfills. The agency’s materials-management hierarchy emphasizes reducing, reusing and recycling as preferred strategies, making donation and clothing-exchange programs one way to keep usable items in circulation.
Special-education students take part in practical activities connected with the boutique, including organizing clothing and completing other routine tasks, KVIA reported. Superintendent Xavier De La Torre said those activities may help students build retail and fashion-industry skills for life after graduation.
The Outlet Shoppes at El Paso donated fixtures and is supporting the project with a monthly fashion incentive. According to KVIA, participating students may be randomly selected to receive a $25 gift card for a new piece of clothing.
