Exchange Closet
Location change - fall 2024! - library 126
Hours
About the Exchange Closet
Contact
orsl@skidmore.edu *New contact info coming soon*
Additional Resources
Donations
New Donation information for Fall 2024 coming soon. In the meantime: During regular business hours when the College is open, donations can be delivered to the the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (Case 205), or the main Campus Life and Engagement office (Case 207) or CLE Conference Room (Case 204). If you are unable to bring donations during those times please contact us and we can help arrange another time. If possible, please bring your donations in a box or bag that you can leave with the items.
What to donate: We currently accept clean new or gently used clothes, shoes, and some accessories (winter hats and gloves, scarves, ties).
What not to donate: We do not currently have the capacity to accept household goods, most accessories, or toiletries. If you have something in these categories that you think would be particularly helpful to our community, please ask before donating. For example, we have occasionally kept donations of XL twin sheets if they are in excellent condition.
Where to donate items we do not accept: Students, keep an eye out for swaps arranged by different offices and student groups throughout the year and for the Give and Go program at the end of every Spring Semester. The Sustainable Saratoga website maintains a list of recommendations for how to donate, reuse, repair, and recycle a wide range of items. Always check to see if an organization is accepting your particular type of donations before dropping things off. Questions about partnering with local agencies who might be looking for donated items can also be directed to Michelle Hubbs, Associate Director of Civic Engagement, mhubbs@skidmore.edu .
Things we can usually use more of:
- Clothes, any range of styles and adult sizes, or larger youth sizes
- Winter coats and jackets of all kinds
- Men's or masculine clothing (whatever that means to you!) of all shapes and sizes
- Graduation regalia (specifically: items that can be used by Skidmore graduates at commencement: black bachelor's robes, black graduation caps, Skidmore BA and BS hoods)
- Hats, gloves, scarves, ties/bowties
- Non-slip hangers or hangers with clips for hanging pants and skirts
- Please do NOT donate household items (kitchen utensils, books, etc). Look for announcements about the annual Give and Go program at the end of the Spring Semester for ways students can donate unwated items.
Collaborations
Frequently Asked Questions
The clothes and food items are all free. There is no cost to access the Exchange Closet. Please do not take the hangers, racks, boxes, or mirrors. Please only take what you know you will use and feel free to bring back items if you don't need them any more and if they are still in good condition.
Nope! There is no requirement to donate before taking items. And there is no requirement to take anything after donating.
The resource is primarily designed by and for Skidmore students and is accessible to the Skidmore community. Though we continue to center students in the planning and implementation of this resource we don't want there to be any barriers to members of the wider Skidmore community (staff, faculty, families, community, and guests). We don't ask for identification from those using the Closet.
We have limited space for storage and limited time for sorting and organizing items. If you are absolutely sure that the items you have should be in the Exchange Closet please email us first to be sure we can accommodate the donation. Not sure where else you can donate/recycle/repurpose your items? Check out resources from the Skidmore Sustainability Office and Sustainable Saratoga.
Providing clothing for students who face barriers accessing clothes that affirm their gender expression was one of the goals of the students who founded the Exchange Closet at Skidmore. This goal continues to be a priority. The Closet is open to students of any and all genders and ways of dressing, but we know that sometimes it can be challenging for trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming folx to access clothes for a variety of reasons. Students relying on family support to afford clothing may not be able to ask for clothes that work for them. Homophobia and transphobia can also impact a person's access to employment and affordable housing, making free and low-cost resources an important option. Sometimes it's also just nice to pick out clothes in a setting where you know no one's judging whether your selections "fit" what others may assume about your identity.
The Closet was also implemented to reduce waste and to give viable goods a new life at Skidmore. The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades due to fast fashion, while the human and environmental costs have grown dramatically. Globally, we consume about 80 million pieces of new clothing every year. The average American generates about 82 pounds of textile waste each year. The Exchange Closet helps prevent usable clothes from piling up in the landfills. For more information on sustainable living and working at Skidmore, check out resources from the Skidmore Sustainability Office.
There is usually a full length mirror in the Exchange Closet but it is not a completely private space. There are restrooms availalbe nearby that offer more privacy.
Yes! Just contact us (see contact information at the top of the page).
The Exchange Closet continues to be part of the resources supported by Campus Life & Engagement with a number of student groups and offices collaborating to make it a success. As of Fall 2024 the Exchange Closet will be a collaboration between Campus Life & Engagement and the Library and it continues to be a collaborative project with many partners. If you or your group have gotten left out of that conversation we apologize and encourage you to get in touch with us or one of our other partner groups.
We request that you do not use the Exchange Closet as a source for clothing to re-sell. In the past this practice has discouraged people from donating quality items. Please help us keep this important resource going for all who need it and honor the intent of the founders and donors to provide cost-free clothing to our community.
New contact information for FAll 2024 coming soon. In the meantime you can reach out to Parker Diggory, Director of Religious and Spiritual Life (Case 205, orsl@skidmore.edu). You can also bring concerns to other staff within Campus Life & Engagement or the Office of the Dean of Students.
Send your question to orsl@skidmore.edu
