20 Lausanne’s First Free Market

Number of votes

9,666 (8,794 paper / 872 online)

1. The project in a nutshell

Are your closets overflowing with clothes, books, or other items you no longer need? The Free Market is here for you! Come share a friendly moment and do a good deed! Instead of throwing them away, bring them to the free market. While you’re there, enjoy browsing through the items others have brought: you might find some hidden gems and participate in upcycling workshops.

2. The Project’s Objective

The goals of our initiative are to reduce waste by extending the life of our belongings, cut back on consumption, find great deals, rediscover the value of free items, and have a good time.

3. The Project in Detail

Just like networks for exchanging services and knowledge, this free marketplace will be fully integrated into a form of alternative and sustainable economy. In this free marketplace, items we might otherwise throw away are given a new lease on life. What’s more, you won’t be limited by the contents of your wallet. New connections form naturally; people exchange items with one another in a joyful and friendly atmosphere over a cup of tea and a slice of cake. The Boursealoz association, founded by Romaine, Magalie, Séverine, Dani, Pia, Lurdes, and Maya, aims to organize Lausanne’s first free market. This association has been organizing clothing and toy swap meets as a completely personal initiative at various locations in Lausanne, with the most recent event held at Pôle Sud. The goal of this project is to provide a large venue with a wide selection of items, games, and clothing for adults and children. To do this, the association needs to rent a large hall (such as the Montbenon Casino or the Beaulieu Market Halls) in order to offer something for everyone in Lausanne. Admission to the market is free, open to all, and requires no registration. Participants can come with items (clothing, shoes, books, etc.) or empty-handed and help themselves as they wish. Lausanne residents will be free to choose items generously donated by others and take them without spending a dime. We’ll take care of everything: setting up, welcoming visitors, and clearing away “unclaimed” items at the end of the day. You don’t need to staff a booth or pick up your items at the end of the day: just come, enjoy yourself, browse, chat, and head home with a smile! To round out the process, any items that haven’t found a new home will be collected by partner organizations, associations, or other groups.

4. The amount requested to carry out the project

19,700 CHF

• Communication, website, maintenance, hosting, authorization request: 3,750 CHF

• Room rentals, equipment rentals (podiums, tables, decorations, and other items), postal/bank account: 9,810

• Volunteer refreshments, volunteer travel: 1,750 CHF

• Staff expenses, upcycling workshops, Repair Café: 3,500 CHF

• Insurance, administrative costs: 890 CHF

5. The Association

Boursealoz