Bloom Swap · A program of Bloom Ministries
Clothes that fit who you are. A free clothing swap, no questions asked.
Bloom Swap is a free clothing swap for trans and nonbinary people and anyone who needs clothes that fit. Arrive, browse racks sorted by size and style, take what fits, and leave with a bag. You do not have to bring anything to take something.
What a swap is
A room of racks, and nothing to prove.
A Bloom Swap is a room full of clean clothing, sorted by size and style rather than by gender, that anyone may walk into and take from.
You arrive, a volunteer hands you a bag, and you browse. Tops, trousers, dresses, coats, shoes and accessories hang on racks by size. You try things on where the venue has room to change, or you take them home to try. When you have what you need, you walk out. There is no checkout, no form at the door, and nobody asks why you came.
Bloom Swap exists because clothes are one of the first places a person meets themselves, and one of the most expensive. Buying a new wardrobe is out of reach for most people at the moment they most need one, and a thrift store fitting room is not always a safe place to find out what fits. A swap solves both: the clothes are free, the room is set up for you, and the people running it are there to help, not to watch.
Everything is given. Nothing is sold, before, during or after a swap. What nobody takes goes back into storage for the next one, or out to neighbors without homes through congregations running clothing drives. You can read exactly where the clothes go, step by step.
Bloom Swap is a program of Bloom Ministries, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Salem, Oregon. Nothing at a Bloom Swap has a fee, and nothing donated is ever sold.
Receipts
Checked before you trust it.
Bloom Swap is run by Bloom Ministries. These figures are on the public record, and the swap figures come straight from the program’s own ledger.
Bloom keeps its books open before anyone gives. Read the accountability page and check any of this for yourself.
Before you come
What hangs on the racks. Choose a rack.
Every swap carries what has been donated, sorted and laundered. Tap a rack to see what it usually holds.
01 / 07
Tops
Tees, blouses, button-downs, knitwear and hoodies, hung by size from XS upward, with extended sizes on their own rail when donated.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
02 / 07
Bottoms
Jeans, trousers, shorts and leggings, labelled with a size range rather than a single number, because sizing differs so much between makers.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
03 / 07
Dresses & skirts
Everyday and occasion dresses and skirts of every length, sorted by size so nobody has to guess which rack is theirs.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
04 / 07
Outerwear
Coats, rain jackets, blazers and cardigans. In the colder months this is the rack that empties first.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
05 / 07
Shoes
Clean pairs with wearable soles, set out by size on low shelves so they can be tried on sitting down.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
06 / 07
Accessories
Belts, scarves, bags, hats and jewelry: the small things that make an outfit yours.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
07 / 07
Undergarments
New with tags only, always. Bras, underwear, binders and gaffs appear when they are donated new, and are set apart so they can be chosen privately.
Stock depends on what has been donated, sorted and laundered.
Looking for something specific? The list is how you hear first. Join it on the upcoming swaps page, and tell us your nearest city.
Choose your door
Five ways in. Each one leads somewhere.
Most people come for clothes. Some come with clothes, a hall, a business or a free Saturday. Choose the one that sounds like you, and the site will keep your next step in view.
Where you go from here
Your path through Bloom Swap.
Five steps for whichever door you chose. Your progress is kept only in this browser; nothing is sent anywhere, and you can clear it at any time.
- See how a swap worksHow it works
- Join the listTell me when
- Plan your first swapYour first swap
- Know what the room hasAccessibility
- Bring a friend
- See what we takeWhat we take
- Tell us what you haveGive clothes
- See where it goesWhere it goes
- Run a clothing driveClothing drives
- Give a sort dayVolunteer
- Check your spaceReadiness check
- Read the playbookThe playbook
- Tell us about your spaceTell us
- Read the page for your settingYour setting
- Share it with your community
- Read what recognition isRecognition
- Choose a tierThe tiers
- Start the conversationStart
- Meet the Founding PartnersFounding Partners
- See what has happenedImpact
- Choose a roleThe roles
- See a swap as a guest doesA guest’s view
- Sign upSign up
- Read the playbookThe playbook
- Bring someone
Choose the door that sounds like you.
The rest of the network
Everything here is free. Everything at Bloom is free.
A swap is one door into Bloom Ministries. Every guest is offered the others, and none of them has a fee.
Everything at Bloom Swap is free. Everything at Bloom is free.
What happens next
What happens after you join the list.
You tell us your nearest city
First or chosen name if you like, and one way to reach you. Never a legal name.
A host and a date are set
Each swap is planned with its venue at least sixty days out.
You hear two weeks ahead
One message with the venue, the hours and what the room has for access.
You come, or you do not
There is no RSVP to break. Walk in during the hours, take what fits, and leave when you like.
FAQ
Questions people ask first
Still asking? Write to swap@bloomministries.org and a person answers.
Is it really free?
Yes. Nothing at a Bloom Swap has a price, and nothing you take is tracked. Bloom Ministries runs it, and no program of Bloom charges for care.
Do I need to bring clothes to take clothes?
No. You do not have to bring anything to take something. If you do have clothes to give, here is what we take.
Do I need ID, or to give my name?
No ID, no name, no form at the door. The only time we ask for a name is on the list sign-up, and even there it is optional and never a legal name.
Is it only for trans people?
Bloom Swap is built with trans and nonbinary people first in mind, and anyone who needs clothes that fit is welcome.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes. Bring a friend, a partner, a parent or no one. Your first swap walks through the day.
What if nothing fits?
Stock depends on what has been donated, so racks vary from swap to swap. There is always another one, and the list tells you when.
Join the list
Hear about the next swap first.
One sign-up, your nearest city, and a message two weeks before a swap near you. Nothing else unless you ask for it.
In danger right now? Bloom’s crisis support is free, and a person answers