EXsport Exchange

Sport should NOT be a luxury — but for too many families, it’s becoming one. A new study by Ulster University surveyed 855 parents/guardians across Northern Ireland to understand how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting children’s access to sport. The results are stark: •    37% of children have missed out on sport or physical activity due to cost. •    30% of parents cannot afford the kit or clothing needed for participation. •    35% have reduced spending on children’s sport since 2021. •    24% of families have borrowed money or used credit just to keep their kids involved. And here’s the worrying part: while 85% of parents agree sport is vital for children’s wellbeing and stress management, financial pressures are forcing many to cut back. The gap between higher- and lower-income families is widening — leaving the most disadvantaged children missing out the most. This isn’t just about fitness. It’s about confidence, friendships, mental health, and future opportunities. When sport becomes a privilege, we risk deepening inequalities and losing a generation of talent. How EXsport Exchange is trying to help: At EXsport Exchange, we’re working to make sure no child is priced out of play: 1.♻️ Making sport more accessible and sustainable by encouraging the buying and selling of pre-owned sports gear. 2.🤝 Breaking down barriers by connecting families, clubs, and communities. 3.🌍 Championing inclusion so every child can take part — regardless of background. Because every child deserves the chance to play, grow, and thrive.

🏟️ From Pitch to Landfill: The Sportswear Problem We Can’t Ignore Every year, the UK throws away around 100,000 tonnes of sportswear, according to University of Manchester, ‘Game Changers’. That’s the equivalent of 500 million football shirts ending up in landfill instead of being reused or recycled. This isn’t just a fashion problem. Sportswear is often made from polyester and other synthetics, meaning it doesn’t biodegrade quickly. Instead, it breaks down into microplastics that seep into our rivers, oceans, and even the air we breathe. The result? Damage to ecosystems, biodiversity, and our own health. But here’s the other side of the story: while we’re discarding mountains of kit, the rising cost of sports gear is stopping many children, young people, and even adults from taking part in sport. Affordability is becoming one of the biggest barriers to an active lifestyle. 💡 This is where EXsport Exchange comes in. 
We’re tackling both the environmental and accessibility crises by: * Lowering costs for families and players through resale of quality pre-owned sports gear. * Extending the life of perfectly usable kit, keeping it in play and out of landfill. * Making sport more inclusive by removing price barriers that hold people back. Every item we resell means fewer resources wasted, fewer emissions, and more people on the pitch, in the gym, or on the court. The future of sport can be affordable, sustainable, and accessible — but only if we work together to change the way we think about purchasing sports gear. ♻️ Buy pre-owned. Play more, spend less with EXsport Exchange. #Sustainability #SportForAll #CircularEconomy #EnvironmentalImpact #SportsBusiness #InnovationInSport #EXsportExchange

Welcome to EXsport Exchange - a UK-based online marketplace for buying and selling pre-owned sportsgear. We are here to make sport more: 💷 Affordable ♻️ Sustainable 🤝 Community-driven Our Mission: 🌱 Protect the environment - reduce sports material waste by encouraging the use of pre-owned sportsgear. ⛳️ Make sport more accessible - make sport easier to be involved in with lower sportsgear costs. 💰 Save & earn - buyers save big, sellers cash in on unused sportsgear. We support ALL Sports and are on a mission to build the UKs largest online sporting community. List for free and join our growing network of UK-based athletes today. Play more, spend less with EXsport Exchange #exsportexchange #playmorespendless