Sophie Pikett, a mum of two boys from Northumberland, has launched Swapaboo, a swap service for children's clothes and school uniform that opens across the UK from Sunday, November 15. Families trade items their children have outgrown for the next size up, and no money changes hands for the clothes.
The venture was set up to help parents spend less on clothes that youngsters will outgrow within months, at a time when people face rising bills. Suppliers expect a typical household's energy bill to rise from £1,723 to around £2,200 a year when the price cap changes on January 1. At the same time, parents expect to spend £117 per child on winter clothes alone, according to research for Clearpay.
About Swapaboo
Sophie highlighted that many homes with young children already have bags of clothes that were outgrown long before they were worn out. A baby moves through at least six clothing sizes before their second birthday.
The idea came from a bag of hand-me-downs. Sophie said: "A friend passed on her little boy's clothes, and it was amazing. Everything was in perfect condition, and it was exactly what our boys needed next. I remember thinking every family should have that."
"Every parent I know has a bag of clothes their kids have outgrown, often barely worn. Most of us just don't have a friend with the right size at the right time. Swapaboo is that friend."
How it works
Parents photograph each item on their phone, and every piece is checked for condition and valued in credits within seconds. They spend those credits on clothes in their child's next size, listed by other families. The only cost is a small fee for delivery to a nearby locker or for collection. More than 600 families signed up ahead of the launch.
School uniform included
Swapaboo also takes school uniform. Government figures put the average cost of uniform and PE kit at £343 for a primary pupil and £442 for a secondary pupil, and The Children's Society found that 38% of parents were struggling to pay. In the North East, almost a third said the same.
Instead of waiting for a school's second-hand sale, families can pass on outgrown jumpers, polo shirts and trousers whenever their children move up a size. "With bills going up again, nobody needs another thing to buy," Sophie said.
"Swapaboo lets you swap what you've got for what you need next. It's like a friend's hand-me-downs, except you get to choose. It also keeps good clothes in use instead of in the bin, which is a nice bonus. But for most families, it's more about easing the financial pressure."
Families can join at swapaboo.com. Swapping opens across the UK on Sunday, November 15.
