It began as a English project for Kelsey Leighton, president of Closets Collide. The assignment was to create an event and be a social activist, Leighton said.

Leighton turned to those in the community who suffered from economic downturns, for those who couldn’t spare money but could spare clothes. The problem she chose to address was overconsumption in the fashion industry.

“I think there’s an alternative way to be fashionable, to be able to be fashionable, but be sustainable at the same time,” Leighton said. “That’s kind of the Closets Collide tagline: Fashion plus sustainability equals Closets Collide.”

Closets Collide focuses on the local community, emphasizing the importance of economic stability.

“We always want to support small businesses,” said Lisa Bradshaw, marketing coordinator for Closets Collide. “There is a need here, so we want to give back to the community and support that need.”

The group also stresses the importance of social sustainability.

“It really is involving the entire Ames community, and it’s bringing families together,” said Merry Rankin, ISU director of sustainability. “It’s bringing young, old, married and singles together for a common cause. You’re able to really have that social cohesiveness. Social sustainability and having strong communities that help, work and interact with each other is a very important piece of complete sustainability.”

After the clothing swap, the student organization drops off any remaining clothing to ACCESS, homeless shelters and also to victims of the August 2010 flood. All who donate their own clothes can also donate the tickets they receive to go to flood victims who need clothing.

“I see a really big need with the flood disaster that we had,” Leighton said. “It’s just one of those things where if you were in a disaster like that, just having some new clothes, it makes you feel better, and having them be in a social event would make them feel better.”

Along with a local approach, the group strives to remain sustainable from a marketing approach as well.

“We haven’t done a lot of posters on campus,” Bradshaw said. “We’re really trying to do viral marketing more with Facebook, Twitter — the social media aspect. We’re just trying to keep it less paper, so we’re not harming the environment as much.”

They’ve also hosted marketing events at the free speech zone in front of Parks Library as an outlet to get people’s attention

This year’s exchange event will also feature a workshop where participants can create bags, scarfs and picture frames from T-shirts.