The Lowdown on Clothing Swaps with Keep FL Clean Founder Nicole Arguello
Miami is home to a thriving cultural landscape, but a particularly inspiring movement is taking root as local innovators champion sustainability in fresh, imaginative ways.
After attending my first community clothing swap last month, I became intrigued by how the concept has been adapted throughout the city. That curiosity led me to the monthly clothing swaps hosted at Tea & Poets in South Miami – and, more importantly, to Nicole Arguello, the founder of Keep FL Clean, a local nonprofit established in 2019 dedicated to environmental advocacy and community action.
As the host behind these vibrant gatherings, Nicole has spent years cultivating a space where environmental consciousness meets effortless style. What started as an effort to combat textile waste has blossomed into a thriving community movement, proving that sustainable fashion in Miami is not just a passing trend – it is a lifestyle shift.
I chatted with Nicole to discuss the origins of Keep FL Clean, the staggering reality of fashion waste, and how swapping our wardrobes is helping to reshape South Florida’s eco-conscious future. Here’s what unfolded.
1) What inspired you to start Keep FL Clean?
Keep FL Clean is an initiative I founded with the goal of bringing people together to take meaningful action for our environment, inspired by our motto “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Through our beach and park cleanups, sustainable education pop-ups, clothing swaps, recycling initiatives, and community events, we create opportunities for people of all ages to get involved and make a difference right here in our own communities.
2) I’m so curious, how did the concept of starting a clothing swap come about?
When we started hosting Keep FL Clean’s Monthly Community Clothing Swaps in 2022, we wanted to create a fun, accessible, and truly sustainable way for people to revamp their closets while giving their unwanted clothing a second life. What started as a simple idea has grown into so much more than a clothing swap – it’s become a space for community, connection, and creativity.
3) For those interested in attending a clothing swap hosted by Keep Fl Clean, what should attendees keep in mind and look forward to?
When you’re ready to clean out your closet or switch up your style, bring the clothing, shoes, and accessories you no longer want to our swap, where you can find your pieces a new home and discover your new favorites – all for free. We even offer free alterations and repairs by local designer Hani Apparel, so you can customize or repair pieces you find at the swap and make them truly your own!
To me, that’s what makes the swap so special. Instead of buying something new every time you want to change up your style, you can shop within your own community, keep perfectly good items circulating, and give them a new life.
4) How does Keep FL Clean’s zero waste clothing swaps benefit the environment and community?
There is an enormous amount of clothing being donated around the world, but not every donated item ultimately finds a new home. Some pieces can sit in warehouses or go unsold, and the reality is that there simply aren’t enough traditional outlets to absorb the amount of clothing we’re constantly producing and donating.
Our goal is to create a more direct, circular solution: when you bring something to our swap, there’s an opportunity for it to find a new owner immediately. And we don’t stop there! Any clothing left over after our swaps is donated to local nonprofits that help distribute these items to communities and countries affected by poverty and natural disasters. So even if a piece doesn’t find its new owner at the event, we work to make sure it continues its journey rather than ending up in the landfill.
5) What is most meaningful to you when you see members from the community participating in the monthly clothing swaps?
What means the most to me is seeing people realize that sustainability doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. It can be as simple as swapping a shirt with your neighbor, picking up trash at your local beach, or choosing to reuse something instead of buying new. When we come together as a community, those small actions add up to something much bigger – and that’s the kind of impact I hope Keep FL Clean continues to inspire.
Exploring Clothing Swaps and Zero Waste Fashion
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the global textile crisis or to view sustainability as an abstract goal reserved for grand lifestyle overhauls. But what Keep FL Clean proves so brilliantly with their monthly clothing swaps is that real change starts right in our own closets – and it can actually be fun. By trading the impulse to buy new for the joy of sharing what we already have, we aren’t just keeping clothes out of landfills; we’re actively choosing connection over consumption. Not only that, partaking in zero waste fashion benefits the community, and planet earth.
