FEB 6, 2025 | NEWS | By Grace Gassel
Do you ever wish you could just take clothes from your friend’s closet? Well, at the Colorado College Closet Exchange Program, it’s completely acceptable on Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. during weeks one through three in the Worner basement.
“In the simplest terms, it’s basically a free clothing and other supplies resource for CC students to donate or take from,” said Ella Simons ‘25, one of the Office of Sustainability interns. “Everything is free and that always shocks people a lot. I think the name gives the impression that you need to bring stuff in order to take things, but you don’t. You can just come and take whatever you need.”
Simons and Haley Outwater ‘26, the interns that run CC Exchange with the Office of Sustainability, said there are several misconceptions about the program. One is that it is “need-based,” so students shouldn’t go there unless they really need things.
“We have so many clothes, and very few people come in, so we’d love to get more people,” Simons said.
CC Exchange has several partnerships, the biggest being within the Office of Sustainability, including the Waste Team, the CC Pantry, “a food insecurity-based program.” The Exchange also works with CC Ditch the Dumpster program, which takes donations students leave when they’re moving out, and with CC residential advisors to clear the clothing left behind in laundry rooms and donate it to the Exchange at the end of each block.
The Exchange also partners with outside organizations, including Who Gives a Scrap, a second-hand craft store.
According to Simons, the Exchange has previously hosted pop-ups for Halloween, Crooze and
The Butler Center’s annual Goth Prom that have drawn in bigger crowds.
There are plans to host a professional wear pop-up soon so students can find professional clothing for job opportunities.
“We always have professional wear as a section in the Exchange,” Simons said. “I think that is another hugely helpful resource that students are missing out on.”
The Exchange has more than just clothing.
“There’s a bunch of books and games, I think some cooking appliances and Tupperware,” Outwater said. There are also craft supplies from their partnership with Who Gives A Scrap.
“At least for me last year, I spent so much money at the Arc [Thrift Store], and half of those items were definitely there [at the Exchange],” Outwater said. “It is just a convenient resource. A lot of people know it exists, but we’re only open once a week. It is more of a personal scheduling thing for some people.”
Simons and Outwater considered other barriers preventing people from going to the Exchange, including just a general lack of awareness. They want to expand hours and grow the program to draw more people in.
Simons said that to support the program, “attendance, donations and showing interest” are crucial. They also proposed that first-year professors and mentors could share information about the Exchange.
Said Outwater: “I think sometimes it takes a while to fully get to know the resources that CC has to offer to students.”
“If you ever run out of supplies, come to the Exchange first and see if they have it for free.” Said Simons,” said Simons.