Programme nearbyFood & GardenMunichOrganise a community seed library and annual seed in MunichOrganise a community seed library and annual seed in Munich The Solawi network seed sovereignty pages promote community seed libraries: labelled jars, simple borrowing rules, and an annual swap where growers trade what saved true in their soil in Munich. What you can do - Read the Saatgut (seed) resources and pick varieties suited to Munich's climate - Host a winter swap at a library or community centre with variety notes and sowing tips - Link your library to a Solawi farm so field trials feed back into the catalogue How it works Stewards catalogue donations, check germination, and enforce "grow, save, return" rules. Swaps stay small and neighbourly so beginners leave with something they can actually sow in spring. Why it matters Community seed stocks protect diversity industrial catalogues skip and keep adaptation local.seedslibraryswap +2
Programme nearbyCommunityFrankfurtClothes swap party in your Kiez in FrankfurtClothes swap party in your Kiez in Frankfurt Host an afternoon clothes exchange in a park or courtyard: bring what you do not wear, leave with something new-to-you, good music optional in Frankfurt. What you can do - Set up rails and mirrors; welcome first-timers with a simple “take one, leave one” rule - Partner with Greenpeace Frankfurt Makesomething or join Frankfurter Wandeltage formats - Document sizes and categories so the swap stays fun, not chaotic Why it matters Still-wearable textiles too often burn; swapping keeps joy in fashion while keeping tonnes out of incineration.swapfashionfree
Programme nearbyCommunityCologneSwap clothes with Team Tausch in CologneSwap clothes with Team Tausch in Cologne Team Tausch runs small and large Kleidertausch events across Cologne. An estimated quarter of wardrobe pieces never get worn; locally, thousands of tonnes of still-wearable textiles are incinerated each year. Swapping keeps joy in fashion without the waste. What happens at a swap - Bring clean, good-condition clothes you no longer wear; take home something new-to-you. - Volunteers help with setup, guest welcome, sorting on racks, and (at larger events) a textile repair corner. - Many evenings end with music and drinks at partner venues such as the Wohngemeinschaft. Join in - Drop in as a visitor: dates are on the event calendar. - Volunteer for a 4-hour shift (no fixed commitment); cafés and community spaces can host new locations. Why it matters Swapping keeps wearable textiles out of incineration and builds neighbourhood joy around fashion without new purchases.swapfashionvolunteer
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseHagenGive and take at Hatopia Umsonstladen in HagenGive and take at Hatopia Umsonstladen in Hagen Hatopia (Nachhaltigkeitszentrum Hagen e.V.) keeps Hagen's first Umsonstladen at Bismarckstraße 27 in Wehringhausen. Clothes, books, household goods, and more get a second life at no price, for anyone who walks in. What you can do - Bring usable goods or take what you need during shop hours on the Hatopia site - Ask before large donations: storage is limited and intake can pause when the stockroom is full - Join as a volunteer if you want to keep the shelves turning How it works The free store is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 16:00 to 19:00. The association grew from the Hatopia initiative (2018) and has been a registered charity since 2021. Confirm holiday closures on the site before you travel. Why it matters A neighbourhood free store turns surplus into meeting space and keeps working objects out of the bin.swapreusefree-store +1
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseHerneLeave or take goods at Verschenkbude in HerneLeave or take goods at Verschenkbude in Herne Entsorgung Herne placed a Verschenkbude on the Wertstoffhof at Meesmannstraße 2: a small hut where residents leave intact, clean, working household goods and others take them for free. What you can do - Drop books, CDs, toys, games, crockery, kitchen tools, hobby kit, small sports gear, bikes, or scooters that still work - Browse the shelves for a second-hand find during yard hours - Hand working small electronics to the acceptance desk, not into the hut. Offer bulky furniture on the city's swap and gift market instead How it works The hut is not a dump. No plants, no textiles (clothes, bedding, blankets), no shoes, no stuffed animals, and no unopened cardboard boxes. Use the Wertstoffhof opening hours. Office contact hours at Südstraße 10 are separate. Why it matters A free hut on the recycling yard gives intact objects a neighbour instead of a skip.reuseswaprecycling +1
Programme nearbyRepair & ReuseLeipzigSwap and upcycle at inab’s Westend hubGive items a second life before the bin At inab (Jugend, Bildung und Beruf) in Leipzig’s Westend, circular economy is everyday practice: a Tauschladen for clothing and household goods, plus a Solidarische Recyclingstation for wood, metal, lamps, and small furniture. What you can do Tauschladen - Mon-Fri 9:00-11:30 and 12:30-16:00 (closed last Friday of the month) - Clothing, shoes, toys, books, small appliances - Up to five items can be taken without swapping; on-site repair and laundry prep for textiles Solidarische Recyclingstation - Mon-Fri 13:00-16:00: email photos and a phone number before bringing bulky material - Accepts: wood offcuts, pallets, lamps, small furniture, small electrics - Not accepted: white goods, large sofas, sanitary fittings Access note Take-away from the recycling station may require proof of Leipzig-Pass, ALG II, social assistance, child benefit, or housing benefit: see the project page. Why it matters Neighbourhood swap and recycling stations keep usable goods and materials local instead of in bulk waste streams.swapupcyclingsolidarity
Programme nearbyCommunityLeipzigWednesday swap at Tauschladen TelemannstraßeWeitergeben statt wegwerfen In the Musikviertel, eight volunteers run a 25 m² neighbourhood exchange: bring well-kept clothes, books, toys, or homeware: leave with a new favourite without buying new. What to expect - Wednesdays 16:30-19:00 at Telemannstraße 3, 04107 Leipzig - Categories include clothing, shoes, bags, children’s toys, books, homeware, jewellery, baby items - Not accepted: bedding, underwear, socks, wool hats, electronics, furniture - You do not have to bring something to take something home Why it matters Born from neighbourhood initiative, the shop strengthens community while keeping usable goods in circulation: a low-barrier alternative to fast consumption.swapneighbourhoodfree
Programme nearbyCommunityLeipzigOrganise a neighbourhood swap weekTauschen statt wegwerfen: at city scale Stadtreinigung Leipzig’s Tauschmarkt during European Waste Prevention Week shows how a temporary swap hub can move thousands of items to new homes. The 2023 edition welcomed 1,130 visitors; the 2022 Stadtbüro pilot reached 2,400 over six days with goods collected via Wertstoffhöfe. How to adapt the model - Partner with your municipal waste service or a community centre for drop-off and sorting. - Invite residents to bring clean textiles, toys, books, kitchenware, and small furniture. - Add info corners on circular living: swaps work best as social events, not silent warehouses. Ongoing swaps in Leipzig See the project pages for permanent Tauschmarkt locations linked from Tauschmarkt 2023 and Tauschmarkt im Stadtbüro. Why it matters Large-scale swap hubs prove that giving goods a second home can move thousands of items in one joyful week.swapeventscircular
Programme nearbyCommunityKielSwap at neighbourhood TauschhäuserVerschenken statt wegwerfen Since 2024 Kiel runs Tauschhäuser in Holtenau, Hammer, and Suchsdorf where residents leave good-condition goods for others, no cash, just circulation. Ortsbeiräte and volunteers maintain the rooms with support from the “Gemeinsam Kiel gestalten” fund. What to expect - Bring clean, usable items; browse what neighbours already shared. - Holtenau started as a pilot under the motto “give away instead of throwing away”. Why it matters District swap rooms turn “too good to bin” into free neighbourhood finds without a shop trip.swapneighbourhoodfree
