Refresh Your Closet at Our Denim Swap; Upcycling Night in Tempe
That denim jacket you never wear anymore might be exactly what someone else has been looking for.
On Tuesday, August 18, Crafty Tomato and Community Closet AZ are bringing together thrifting, crafting and sustainable fashion for a Community Closet Denim Swap & Upcycling Night in Tempe.
Bring clean denim from your closet, find something new-to-you and transform it with acrylic paint, rhinestones and gems. Instead of buying another mass-produced outfit, you’ll leave with something completely unique.
How the Denim Swap Works
Start by looking through your closet for clean denim you’re ready to pass along. Jeans that no longer fit, a jacket that isn’t your style or a denim skirt you haven’t worn in years can all find a new home.
Bring your denim to the event, browse what other guests have contributed and choose a piece you’d like to customize.
Because the Community Closet is created by the people attending, available sizes and styles will vary. If there’s something from your own closet you definitely want to decorate, bring it with you and use the swap as a fun bonus.
Turn New-to-You Denim Into Something Completely Yours
Once you choose your denim, it’s time to make it weird, colorful, sparkly or cute enough that you’ll actually want to wear it.
Your $18 ticket includes access to acrylic paint, rhinestones and gems. You might:
- Paint flowers down the leg of a pair of jeans
- Add tiny tomatoes to a jacket pocke
- Cover a collar in rhinestones
- Give a thrifted skirt a colorful border
- Paint stars, flames, fruit or checkerboard details
- Add one small design for a subtle upgrade
- Go completely overboard in the best possible way
You don’t need sewing skills, fashion-design experience or a perfectly planned design. We’ll help you get started, and you can decorate at your own pace.
Why Swap Instead of Shopping New?
Clothing swaps make clearing out your closet feel a lot less wasteful. A piece that doesn’t fit your body or style anymore can become someone else’s favorite find.
Upcycling takes that idea one step further. Instead of tossing an older item because it feels boring, you can repaint it, embellish it and turn it into something that looks like you.
It’s affordable, creative and much more fun than scrolling through another clothing website.
Come Alone or Bring Your Thrifting Friends
Community Closet Night is for:
- Thrifters and vintage lovers
- Sustainable-fashion fans
- People experimenting with their personal style
- ASU students looking for an affordable Tempe activity
- Friends who need a different kind of night out
- Crafters who want to try wearable art
- Anyone whose closet needs a refresh
Coming alone is completely welcome. Since everyone will be swapping and customizing clothing, you’ll already have something to talk about—and asking someone where they found their jacket is an extremely easy conversation starter.
Community Closet Event Details
Tuesday, August 18
6–8 PM
$18 per person
Crafty Tomato
1250 E. Apache Blvd., Suite 106
Tempe, Arizona 85281
The organized activity runs from 6–8 PM, but guests may stay and finish their projects until Crafty Tomato closes at 9 PM.
Reservations are required, and capacity is limited to 30 people.
Bring clean denim that someone else would be excited to wear. If you already know what you want to decorate, bring that piece with you too.
Give Your Closet a Second Chance
Clean out your closet without sending good clothing to the trash. Find something new-to-you, cover it in paint and rhinestones, and leave with a piece nobody else owns.
RESERVE YOUR COMMUNITY CLOSET TICKET
We can’t wait to see what you swap and what you turn it into.