Staunchly against the idea of throw-away culture, Judy Berger, the site's founder (and a personal shopper and stylist), set up the online shop so that people could "consume and indulge whilst remaining eco-conscious".

Now, Shopping Bag is nobody's fool. She knows that "eco-conscious" is a magically modern phrase that somehow means everything from never setting foot in an aeroplane to refusing plastic bags or only eating free-range whey - but she doesn't dispute the power it wields.

In this case, it means that you can sign up to the website and, just as you would on eBay, post items of clothing that you're not in love with any more for other people to peruse - but, brilliantly, you post a WISH LIST too. And you don't have to worry about how greedy that wish list seems, because all you're doing is being "eco-conscious".

If it all goes to plan, someone will want what you've got, and they'll have something you want. So you swap. It's free, aside from postage, and it's window shopping without the bulwark of glass between you and the thing you desire.

The community depends a great deal on trust - but Judy and her team, who are cutting-edge and ethically minded, encourage swishers to chat and build a relationship. And it seems to work, because hundreds of people across the world are "swishing" backwards and forwards with great success, and no need for cash, proving that some humans can be likeable  after all. Don't quote me on that.