Beginning as a birthday party theme to celebrate the office op shop queen, Al – where we completely transformed our office into a personal op shop – Alvos Day is now entrenched as one of our sustainability initiatives for life. So, what is it exactly?
The name Alvos is a combination of ‘Salvos’ and ‘Al’ for a tongue-in-cheek ode to one of Australia’s leading charity organisations with stores throughout the country. Each year around springtime, the whole team is tasked with raiding our wardrobes to stock the ‘racks’ (built from visual media rigging equipment) to create our own personal second-hand shopping experience right here in the office.
We bring in clothing, jewellery, household items, board games and anything that didn’t make the spring clean keep list. Then, we have one epic second-hand swap to ensure things either get rehomed or donated to a local charity shop. All staff leave with something to refresh their wardrobes – while a huge haul of surplus, high-quality goods make their way to the local charity clothing bin or store.
Clothes swaps are a great way to reduce textile waste, save money and reduce your carbon footprint – all while getting your hands on some fresh new threads. The Being Group challenges all workplaces in Australia to partake in a similar event. Not only is it great for the environment and worthy charities, it’s a fun, team-building experience that benefits everyone.
Donating high quality unwanted items to charity stores – and also shopping at them for one-of-a-kind second-hand goods – are fantastic ways to give back by supporting those who support our communities. Many op shops even have online stores, so you can still shop from the comfort of the lounge. Give second-hand a chance this National Op Shop Week!