Sustain Mizzou Hosts Zero Waste Showcase at Kuhlman

The campus event pairs a clothing swap with a waste audit as part of Zero Waste Week.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Fashion

Bold vector editorial illustration of a coral shirt hanging on a wooden hanger beside a woven basket of sprouting seedlings, on a cream background. — Students at Sustain Mizzou swapped donated clothing at Kuhlman Court on Tuesday as part of the group's Zero Waste Week, which also includes a waste audit and a Saturday campus cleanup. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you donate or swap clothing instead of throwing it away?

Sustain Mizzou held its Zero Waste Showcase at Kuhlman Court, kicking off at 11 a.m. with a clothing swap that lets students exchange donated clothing. The showcase is part of the group's Zero Waste Week, which runs through a campus cleanup on Saturday.

Why it matters

The clothing swap is designed to keep usable items out of the landfill and extend their useful life. For Columbia, the event reflects a campus-wide push to reduce waste and build habits students can carry into the wider community.

Sustain Mizzou hosts three clothing swaps a year, and each one typically sees between 500 and 1,000 articles donated and taken. Organizers estimated 300 to 400 students would shop at this swap, though the final count was not reported.

The players

Sustain Mizzou

The University of Missouri student organization focused on sustainability initiatives on campus, which hosts clothing swaps and Zero Waste Week.

Columbia Solid Waste Utility

The city of Columbia's utility responsible for trash and recycling collection and waste management for residents.

The details

Student volunteers from Foundations of Environmental Education sorted trash during a waste audit of outdoor trash and recycling cans on campus, separating waste from recyclable items. Other Zero Waste Week activities included a film screening on the history of plastic and a field trip to the city of Columbia's Solid Waste Utility.

Thursday: Zero Waste Showcase and clothing swap held at Kuhlman Court, starting at 11 a.m.
Saturday: Campus cleanup concludes Zero Waste Week.

Season Trajectory

The campus showcase extends the work of Columbia's Solid Waste Utility into the University of Missouri community, where students learn waste management alongside city residents. Zero Waste events like this one are a growing part of how the city and its university approach landfill diversion.

Columbia shoppers and students can use swaps like this one to refresh wardrobes without buying new, and the clothing swap is open to community members who want to exchange items. The Saturday campus cleanup offers a chance to get involved in waste reduction directly.

The takeaway

Swapping clothing instead of discarding it keeps usable items out of landfills and can stretch a wardrobe at no cost. Readers can start by checking local swap events or donating unwanted pieces before buying something new.