Sportswitch: THE recycling center for sports clothing

Thanks to a boost from the ING Fund for a More Circular Economy, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, Sportswitch was launched in early 2022. By making sports clothing accessible to everyone, the non-profit organisation contributes to the health - not only physical but also mental - of the people of Brussels. And it’s also beneficial for the planet.

Ten years ago, newcomers founded the non-profit organization Les Gazelles de Bruxelles, in collaboration with social organisations. Since then, they have organised weekly jogging training sessions, with sport and meeting as the main themes. “People from different social and cultural backgrounds get to know each other through sport. This reduces the gap between their worlds,” explains Fran Verwimp, project manager of Sportswitch at the non-profit Les Gazelles de Bruxelles. “Sport contributes to good physical health and also promotes mental well-being. By participating in competitions, for example, members develop their self-confidence, but the networks created during training also promote their social advancement.” Sport also helps to overcome language barriers, “as shown by the meeting between a Russian who recently applied for asylum and Moussa, a French-speaking member. Both are avid marathon runners.”

Although the training sessions of Les Gazelles are free, the purchase of sports equipment remains an obstacle. “The non-profit had a small lending service, but the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie (VGC) noticed that some people did not participate in sports activities because they did not have the right equipment. When we launched the idea of a sports equipment lending service, the VGC was immediately enthusiastic,” continues Fran Verwimp.

FROM LENDING SERVICE TO STORE

In their quest for resources, Les Gazelles submitted a file as part of the call for projects from the ING Fund for a More Circular Economy, managed by the King Baudouin Foundation. “The support we received allowed us to launch Sportswitch and set up the store. It is located, along with the offices and stock, in a space at the Nekkersdal community center in Laeken, which we have thanks to the VGC.” While the initial plan was to create a lending service, Sportswitch quickly evolved into a second-hand store. “People prefer to own their own clothes. Hygiene is an important criterion, especially for sports clothing. And from a logistical point of view, it is also easier to manage a store than a lending system,” adds Fran Verwimp.

AWARENESS

A year and a half after its launch, Sportswitch has developed a solid network. To collect sports clothing, the initiators appeal to individuals, who can donate their items at one of the eight collection points spread across the Brussels Region. Occasionally, professional athletes also find their way to Sportswitch. “We have also already received sports clothing from Oxfam, the Decathlon store in Anderlecht, HOKA, and Triathlon Vlaanderen. Brussels children have benefited from it through the non-profit L’Interstice, located nearby,” continues Fran Verwimp. “The fact that major players want to protect their brands and prefer to incinerate their surplus rather than donate it is a challenge for the future.”

In addition to collaborating with poverty-fighting organizations that send individuals or even entire groups to Sportswitch, many individuals also come to shop there. Fran Verwimp: “We welcome everyone. Beneficiaries of an increased allowance or undocumented migrants can choose equipment worth 20 euros per household member for free. For others, the displayed prices, which are very affordable, apply. There are also support prices for people who want and can help us. More than 2,000 items have already been sold to date, ranging from golf shoes to swimsuits.”

“Even though we primarily target people in poverty, we also want to raise awareness about the sustainability of sports clothing - especially since they are often made with polluting materials. That’s why we regularly attend events or visit schools to present our project to young people. The fact that sports clothing is ‘trendy’ makes things easier.”

SUSTAINABLE ANCHORING

In addition to promoting an ecological relationship with our material world, Sportswitch also seeks to create sustainable social relationships. “Just like with Les Gazelles, we encourage people to develop their talents. One of our participants has thus become one of our collaborators, and now even a coach. An autistic volunteer is also doing an internship with us. Thanks to his love of sport and human encounters, he feels at home here. He has also completely blossomed at school,” says Fran Verwimp.

To ensure its sustainability, Sportswitch wants its recognition as a social economy enterprise to be transformed into a mandate. “For now, our employees are paid under the ‘article 60’ status of the CPAS. Given that we carry out this socio-professional integration work - and that we allow people to develop additional skills - we want to request a mandate. This would reduce our dependence on project-related subsidies and stimulate our growth,” says Fran Verwimp. “At the same time, we are constantly investing in new projects. We are working on an upcycling project with Femma Quartier and fashion designer Kenza Vandeput from Kasbah Kosmic.”