Noticing the proliferation of “no purchases” groups on social networks, a mother from Vancouver created her own, specially designed for baby clothes, which also offers clothing for adults.
Gabrielle Trépanier was part of a group without purchases
of his neighborhood. In this group, a few people had organized suitcases of clothes to pass around for free, but the group was too small and local for this to work well.
She therefore decided, with the help of Linda Templeton, starting a group without purchases
for clothing only.
We decided to start a bigger group by expanding the territory, but remaining local. It’s a bit of a complement to groups without purchases
explains Gabrielle Trépanier.
The group Travelling Suitcase attracted attention from its inception. After three years of existence, it has more than 500 members.
The group was created to circulate resources in a small community and keep clothes out of the landfill.
We offer suitcases of clothing in all sizes for women. Suitcases of clothing for young people, from children to adolescents, are genderless or bi-gendered.
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Gabrielle Trépanier and Lisa Patterson sort used clothes from a children’s suitcase.
Photo: - / Monia Blanchet
We managed to pack very specific suitcases, for example, only one suitcase [pour les vêtements] from very very small to very very large sizes
she said.
Lisa Patterson joined the group as an administrator because this group aligns with her values.
I have always shopped at thrift stores and participated in household clothing swaps in the 1990s
she said.
To be part of the group, you must live in the Grandview-Woodland or Hastings-Sunrise neighborhoods in east Vancouver.
A common electronic spreadsheet allows you to see the available suitcases and know who has which suitcase in their possession.
Once you have a suitcase, you put a check mark next to your name, then pass it to the next person. Everything is done by message to let the other person know that it is their turn to take the suitcase
explains Gabrielle Trépanier.
It is the members’ responsibility to circulate the suitcase every week so that everyone can have access to it.
Members are asked to pack clean clothes, that is, without stains or holes, in their suitcases. Coats, handbags or even shoes are not accepted because they take up a lot of space.
This is why Gabrielle Trépanier, Linda Templeton and Lisa Patterson regularly sort suitcases.
The beauty of the community that we have created is that people who have been there for a long time, when they have the suitcase, will sort it out. And they leave us a message to tell us that several items of clothing have been removed from the “medium-large” suitcase, for example
she said.
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Gabrielle Trépanier came up with the idea of the Traveling Suitcase group to make it easier to circulate used clothing in her community.
Photo: - / Monia Blanchet
Often, people wait to see what’s in a suitcase before going shopping. It is a way to manage clothing purchases
explains Gabrielle Trépanier.
Although she is happy with the group’s popularity, Gabrielle Trépanier dreams of even bigger things.
It would be fun to have a beautiful space, but one that doesn’t make you feel like the Value Village, which is beautiful and where the clothes are free and accessible to everyone.
She believes this dream will be difficult to achieve, but still hopes that with the large quantity of clothes available, they will one day become free.
