Mon. Dec 4th, 7 PM
Wearing a t-shirt or carrying a tote bag with our logo on it is a great way to raise awareness for Greener Grove when we’re out at the farmer’s market, Village Council meetings, or just around town. But, ordering these items new has a detrimental impact on the environment. Each year, 92 million tons of clothing ends up in landfills. Even though most of us donate the clothing we no longer want, almost two-thirds of clothing castoffs head directly to the landfill. What’s abundantly clear, is that we produce far too much clothing in the first place, and ordering new items only adds to the problem.
Reduce and Reuse
The best way to help the environment when it comes to clothing, is to
buy secondhand,
buy fewer pieces that are well-made and will last for a long time, and
swap clothing you no longer want with friends and family.
We decided that the eco-friendliest approach for making Greener Grove merch is to reuse what we already have! It will save us a pretty penny, and help protect the planet, too.
Block-Printing
Our general Greener Grove meeting on Monday, December 4th at 7 PM, will be an opportunity for some holiday fun and the creation of Greener Grove swag through the use of block-printing.
We have had our logo made into wooden block stamps in several sizes, which can then be stamped onto clothing or accessories using green, black, or white fabric ink. Bring items you already own, or we will also have secondhand clothing from a resale shop available for purchase at the event. We're requesting a $5 donation per item you want to block print to help cover costs. We did a test-run of the process and they turn out great!
The Holidays & Clothing
Another note as we go into the holiday season, is to re-think the way you gift. Clothing purchases increase significantly around the holidays, but here are a few ways you can help:
Avoid returns. Returns are responsible for 5 billion pounds of landfill waste and 15 million tons of carbon emissions per year. Be sure to know sizes and try-on before you buy. When in doubt, give a gift card so the recipient can try on for themselves. (This goes for things other than clothing, too!)
Boycott fast fashion brands. Companies like SHEIN, Temu, BooHoo, Forever 21, ASOS, Charlotte Russe, among others, are leading us into a new era of trend consumption, and pushing production rates to over 100 billion garments annually. Do some research and buy from brands that are slow fashion and insist on fair wages for garment workers.
Party Consciously. Tis the season for holiday parties and gift exchanges. Instead of buying a new outfit, ornament, or white elephant gift, host a clothing & gift swap with friends so you get something new to you, without buying new!
Wishing everyone the happiest, healthiest holiday season, and we hope to see you at our December meeting!
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