It’s easy to feel worn down by today’s news cycle. That’s why here at EyeOnLondon, we’re always on the lookout for stories that bring something positive back into the conversation, and this shared wardrobe library project in Oswestry, Shropshire, is exactly that. The idea might sound simple: borrow clothes like you’d borrow books. However, it’s already proving to be something much more.
The project, known as With Love From …, is the brainchild of Lizzie Dibble, who started the scheme back in 2023 with a few friends and a vision for making secondhand clothing not just accessible but celebrated. Since then, it’s taken up a permanent home inside Oswestry Library, thanks to crowdfunding, community support, and a grant from Shropshire Council.
“There’s something about the library,” Dibble said. “It’s not an intimidating boutique or the busy, noisy high street.” The setting matters, and for many, it’s the first place they’ve felt comfortable enough to explore secondhand fashion without pressure. Trainee textiles teacher Bhavini Mirza agrees: “It’s about seeing and feeling the clothes in person. I find pieces I’d never think to choose on an app.”
Currently, there are around 400 pieces in circulation, each labelled with the name of the person who donated it, giving every item a quiet story of its own. Clothes can be borrowed for three weeks and renewed like a book. There are no fines for red wine spills, and any garments that reach the end of their wearable life get repurposed in sewing workshops rather than going to landfill.
This shared wardrobe library project is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK and is already setting the bar for sustainable, community-led fashion. Rental platforms might offer high-end dresses for special occasions, but Dibble’s initiative focuses on inclusion, creativity and affordability. There’s even a prom-season edit in the works, and she’s keen to expand into workwear to help people on low incomes look their best at job interviews.
As more communities explore libraries of things, this approach shows how rethinking public spaces can breathe new life into high streets and help reduce waste. “If we can make it work in Oswestry,” Dibble says, “there’s no reason it can’t work elsewhere.”
Dibble’s initiative is one of sustainability alongside connectivity. “When you see someone pick up something you used to own and say: ‘I love this!’ – I get goosebumps,” Dibble admits. It’s a reminder that preloved doesn’t mean less loved.
For more stories that offer a little bit of hope, and plenty of intelligent reporting, visit EyeOnLondon’s latest edition and check out what’s happening across our network of local news platforms.
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