Reuse: The Power of a Conscious Community

Green Team: Claudia Triana y Gloria Roncancio

Revised by: Ruth Alatorre

How can a simple uniform bring a community together? Discover how our Uniform Swap turned reuse into a powerful act of sustainability and connection.

🌱 A Movement Begins

In September 2023, we joined the school’s Ecology Committee for moms, full of enthusiasm and eager to promote cultural changes that would benefit the environment. One of the first things we noticed was how school uniforms—thanks to their high quality—often no longer fit our children, but remained in excellent condition for others to wear.

The rise of fast fashion has made clothing feel disposable. But school uniforms have a special advantage: they never go out of style.

♻️ From Facebook to Face-to-Face

With this in mind, we began promoting uniform exchanges on the “Familia San Roberto” Facebook group. Little by little, the posts increased, the idea became normalized, and our children proudly began wearing the uniforms of friends and classmates.

We then took the next step: moving the uniform swap from digital to in-person. We presented the idea to the Ecology Committee and requested space on campus to make the process easier and more accessible for families.

👕 The First Swap: A Full House

Our first Uniform Swap took place in June 2023, in the school’s old infirmary. The response was overwhelming—there was barely enough room for all the clothes or all the people! Families lined up to participate, and many moms volunteered to help. The energy was inspiring and confirmed what we suspected: our community had been waiting for this opportunity, and all the effort was truly worth it.

We experienced beautiful moments:

• 9th graders lovingly handing down their uniforms

• Families who had saved items for years, wanting to keep them within the school community

• Children delighted to find Spirit Day treasures

Results:

👕 1,300 garments exchanged

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 156 families participated

🌳 A Second Edition and Lessons Learned

Our second event took place in October, at a nearby park. The weather was perfect, and we had the support of 12 amazing volunteers. This time, fewer garments were exchanged—480 items among 75 families—mostly because many had already participated in the first event and had what they needed for the new school year.

Yet, this second edition helped us refine our process, establish clearer guidelines, and listen to our community’s feedback. It was also inspiring to see families from other schools visit the event, interested in replicating the idea in their own communities.

💬 What We Learned

Thanks to a community satisfaction survey, we concluded that:

✅ One uniform swap per year is enough

📅 The best time is at the end of the school year

That’s why we’re already organizing the next Uniform Swap for June!

❤️ More Than Just Fabric

This initiative was born out of a desire to care for the planet and unite our community. Today, we know that sharing is also teaching—and that a uniform can carry much more than fabric. It carries stories, values, and a deep sense of commitment.

We move forward with our hearts set on the next Swap—because sustainability begins at home, and together, we’re making a difference.