Swaps, Preloved Events and Circular Living in Quin

Upcycled denim used to create twine to make a Welcome sign we have used again and again.

Over the past two years, Quin Village Tidy Towns has run a series of swap and preloved events as part of its circular economy work — each one designed to keep useful items in circulation, reduce household waste, and make sustainable choices accessible to people in the village.

The Preloved Fashion Event was a clothing show and sale of second-hand items, bringing the community together around the idea of buying and wearing preloved clothes. The School Uniform Swap, run in partnership with the Quin School Parents' Association, collected and redistributed uniforms from Quin and local secondary schools in Ennis and Tulla. With school uniforms representing a significant annual household cost, the swap offered a practical way for families to reduce spending while keeping good quality clothing in use. The Halloween Costume Swap, run in October 2025, applied the same principle to costumes — items that are typically worn once and discarded.

Alongside the swaps, Quin Village Tidy Towns strive to promote circularity in all its events. Working with Quin Players Drama group to use second hand or upcycled costumes, upcycled decor for events that we reuse again and again (signage, bunting, flower arrangements) We also participate in the Greener Clare cups for events program.

All of these initiatives connect to SDG 12 — Responsible Consumption and Production — and reflect a practical, community-based approach to circular living that Greener Quin continues to develop.