Swap – or Borrow – Til You Drop! - Prague, Czech Republic

Swapping – the exchange of one thing for another – is one of those recently revived activities that’s just good all the way around. It’s friendly to the environment, as it reduces textile waste (which according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space). It gives new life to what is old for someone else, provides an alternative to consumerism, saves you some hard earned crowns and if the exchange is held around an event, offers an opportunity to meet up with some like-minded folks. From clothes to books to bikes and other offerings, swapping is happening right here in Prague.

Two very creative book-swapping initiatives were both initiated via O2’s ThinkBig project. Conceived in the summer of 2013, Knihobudka saw the transformation of 7 obsolete telephone booths into book-exchange kiosks, which have been placed in locations throughout the city including hospitals, public institutions, and bus and railway stations. The first, inaugurated in February of this year, is located at the hospital IKEM in Prague 4. All are invited to donate or take from these mini-public libraries.

Kup Book gives a second life to books from seniors from the organization Elpida. To distribute them, three art students created uniquely designed boxes that have been placed in cafes throughout Prague. You can read the books in the café or pay 20 crowns to take one home. All proceeds go back to Elpida. Vinohrady’s Bio Zahrada one of the designated cafes, held their own book exchange where they asked members of the public to bring their unwanted books. As with Kup Book, all proceeds went to Elpida.

Two upcoming clothes swapping events include the ongoing Bazarek, which has been held at the HUB co-working space since its inception in 2012, and The Clothing Exchange, which will hold their fourth swap at Muddum Art Space on May 11. Bazarek, the brainchild of Katerina Coops, asks that all attendees bring at least one item to exchange. You can take as much as you like. Remaining items are always donated to a charity. To be held on May 27, the upcoming Bazarek 7 will feature new sections for men and children. The upcoming Clothing Exchange invites all attendees to bring well-cared-for spring and summer clothes, as well as books and accessories. The event will include an “upcycling corner” for those who want to learn upcycling techniques including origami, decoupage, and rug knitting.

Swap of Clothes, a new retail space, offers the exchange, consignment or rental of branded apparel – or, in their own words (borrowing the established portmanteau): shwopping. In addition to offering some original Czech and international items, this savvy shwhop also offers “comfort service” where they will come to your home and sort through exchange- or consign-worthy goods for you. RE:PARÁDAis the Czech Republic’s first clothes-lending library. Though located in Brno, the owners will lend their retro frocks and other Czech-designed apparel – and
maternity clothes – via post.

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One of the coolest swapping ideas to hit the streets is the recently launched Rekolo. An alternative to the perhaps more complicated bike-sharing programs around the world, Rekolo simplifies the process by eliminating the stands and allowing riders to lock the bikes to the nearest bike rack or other secure device. Those in need of a two-wheel ride look for one of Rekolo’s pink bikes via text messaging. Along with telling you the nearest location of a bike, it will also give you the code to unlock the bike. Once you’re done your ride and are ready to pass it on to someone else, you text message the location where you’ve secured the bike. The program will run in Prague from April through November and plans to expand to other cities throughout the country. Homeport, a bike-sharing system available in Karlín has bikes at the Florenc metro and convenient locations throughout the neighborhood and includes electrobikes and cargo bikes.

Vymena Veci or Exchange Things offers the opportunity to exchange, sell, or rent a mix of goods (books, clothes, games, children’s clothes, electronics) as well as services. Also offering a mix, rerere.cz, which stands for the old adage, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, is an English-friendly site that allows you to post items you want to give away, items you are looking for, or items to swap. Give away an unwanted pet or land a plethora of odd items for free including exercise equipment, “theatrical tresses”, or a vintage fax machine. Car and language exchanges, babysitting and petsitting exhcanges are also available. Expats.cz’s own classifieds server has a free and wanted page which regularly features swapping and give aways.