Chester store WOMbat invites shoppers to swap clothes for Fairtrade goods

Jan 27 2010 by Mark Dowling, Chester Chronicle

A CITY centre clothing store is stepping up its Fairtrade focus with a charitable initiative next month.

Shoppers are being urged to exchange their old clothes for Fairtrade ones at WOMbat, based in Northgate Street, as part of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight theme of The Big Swap.

The store will be giving customers 10% off all its Fairtrade clothes throughout February and the first week of March, or 20% off if they trade in an old T-shirt or hoodie for a new, Fairtrade one.

Any old clothes brought into the store to swap for discounted Fairtrade wear will be donated to the local branch of Oxfam on Frodsham Street.

Store manager, Mike Lyth, is hoping the firm’s involvement in the Fairtrade Foundation’s campaign will encourage shoppers to think more carefully about where their clothes come from.

He said: “WOMbat has always had a strong Fairtrade focus. The company works hard to ensure we offer as many Fairtrade items as we can and we’re always trying to increase this.

“By offering people the chance to swap, we’re hoping to demonstrate to people in Chester how easy it is to go Fairtrade and these products are just as good, if not better than their non-Fairtrade equivalents.”

The initiative is part of Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from February 22 to March 7. For more details, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk.