A successful swap keeps our wardrobes simple, timely and up-to-date. It’s a chance to gather with friends, put those great pieces you’ll never wear to good use and pick up “new” duds for free.

Here are a few tips for throwing your very own successful clothing swap:

Send email invites and ask everyone to go through their closets, pulling out anything and everything they no longer wear, like or want.

Include men’s clothing if possible, and shop for significant others and relatives. It’s never too early to prepare for an upcoming birthday or holiday.

Make it a gourmet potluck, too. Ask the guests to bring organic fruit (in-season), fine cheese, fair trade dark chocolate and organic wine.

You might want to subtly (or not) suggest application of a clear antiperspirant prior to attending. There’s nothing worse than a gorgeous dress with white deodorant marks.

Display everything on tables, hang it on racks and in manageable piles on a clean, traffic-free patch of floor.

Check that you have a variety of sizes available so everyone can “play” and no one feels left out. One size definitely does not fit all.

Create a semi-private dressing area. Use a bamboo screen or even a sheet to secure an area for trying on and off.

Make sure there are plenty of mirrors for oohing and ahhing. Have fun playing dress-up with a group of women telling you “Wow, that looks so good on you!”

Rules are key to a well-run swap. Draw numbers to decide who picks first, and so on. And once a piece is tried on and chosen, it’s off-limits.

At the end of the party, put all the unclaimed clothes in bags and donate the leftover stash to a local thrift store or women’s shelter.

The clothing swap isn’t for summertime only. Start off every fashion season with an eco-friendly wardrobe exchange!

Images: Idhren, and Nancy says

An old mill sack destined for the landfill is born agreen as a useful shopping tote. Old neckties are spun into shoelaces to jazz up Converse high tops. Yes, visions abound in the world of product-storming as a new crop of eco entrepreneurs spot a market ripe for recycling one man’s junk. Some of the treasures emerge as functional everyday items. Others are purely newfangled art. Either way, they are among the new wonders of the world. Here are 10 we love:

1. Silk Necktie Shoelaces, $8, from Etsy

2. Bordbar Recycled Airport Trolleys are on a roll in Europe (also shown at top)

3. Fish Lips Recycled Gift Wrap Paper, $4, has the throw-away mentality covered

4. Re-Lites by Jerry Kott are pendants forged from discarded bottles

5. ReBagz Mill Sack Tote is ideal for the neighborhood farmer’s market

6. Eco-Pop Recycling Container made from 65% recycled materials

7. Bike Furniture table by Andy Gregg is peddled to the stylish young urbanite

8. Found objects take flight in the Moth Sculptures by Michelle Stitzlein

9. Deborah Lindquist’s dog sweaters from recycled textiles, $99, are barking magnificent!

10. High design goes playful with the Gold Toy Mirror by Ryan McElhinney