The founder of a community recycling initiative that allows islanders to pick-up clothes and household items for free is stepping down after three years.
Rag Trader founder Kalina le Marquand announced her retirement on Facebook, where she described the experience as “intense, overwhelming yet amazing and very very beneficial”.
The first Rag Trade event was launched in 2023 in a bid to tackle the amount of waste created by the fashion industry and help out those unable to afford the price of new clothes.
Islanders were invited to bring along unwanted items to be taken home by someone else for free. This included clothes, shoes, household items, plants, plant pots, food and toiletries.
The Rag Trade events have since saved over 1,000 tons of items from landfill or incineration in the last three years.
Speaking to Express, Kalina said: “I wasn’t sure whether it would take off but it turned out being very successful.”
She also reassured islanders that “the amazing team will be carrying on with Rag Trade in their way”.
Clothes rails will remain in the Town Church until April, and at Reg’s Garden in St Brelade for the foreseeable future.
“The team are going to meet up and discuss where Rag Trade is going to be heading,” said Kalina. “I will still be attending events just not organising or advertising them.”
Kalina’s post attracted over 100 comments from islanders praising her work over the last three years.
Sue Freeman said: “I feel blessed to have ‘stumbled’ into one of the Rag Trade events ages ago. What a concept. You are inspirational on so many levels.”
Fiona Murphy added: “Thank you Kalina for all your amazing energy and ideas, inspiring so many others to make positive changes in their lives through your creation of Potty Eco Pots and the Rag Trade.
“It was so lovely to see how these fantastic initiative have grown since those early days! You can now step back knowing that your great work is in good hands and will continue to shine.”