Pasadena families can trade outgrown kids' clothes for back-to-school items at no cost on Aug. 22, when Patagonia Pasadena hosts a free clothing exchange at its Old Town store.

The swap takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 47 N. Fair Oaks Ave., according to ColoradoBoulevard.net. It's timed five days after PUSD's Aug. 17 first day of school, catching families mid-growth-spurt scramble.

The exchange uses a ticket system. Participants bring one to five clean, gently used items and receive one swap ticket per piece. Those tickets buy items off the swap rack: backpacks run four to five tickets, jackets three to four, and T-shirts or pants two to three. Clothing from any brand is accepted, sized for kids ages 5 to 13.

Accepted items include shirts, shorts, pants, dresses, sweaters, jackets, shoes, boots, belts, scarves, backpacks and school supplies. The store won't take hats, socks, swimsuits, underwear or anything with significant damage, stains or excessive wear.

Families can drop off donations at the store ahead of time or bring them the day of the event.

Beyond the swap, Patagonia is offering free garment repairs during the event, fixing small rips, broken buttons and damaged zippers on Patagonia clothing. That repair service is open to anyone, even those without kids' clothes to trade. Complimentary Jeni's Ice Cream rounds out the afternoon.

Organizers said the exchange aims to extend the life of clothing and reduce waste. According to Patagonia's Worn Wear program, citing EPA data, 85% of U.S. clothing ends up in landfills or is incinerated each year.

Any items left over after the swap will go to a local nonprofit serving children and families. The specific organization has not been named. Families who want to get a head start can begin dropping off items at the store now ahead of the Aug. 22 exchange.