Monday Musings- Sustainability
Happy Monday ladies. Today’s musings are sort of all over the map. We went to our friend’s 75th birthday party this weekend and I was amazed that I couldn’t find a B-day card that said 75! That’s not even close to being old these days!
I promised I would share when my favorite handbag is on sale 40% off and that’s now!
Dear Hallmark, we’re living longer, active, and more vibrant lives than you seem to think and we need cards to reflect that:)
Anywho… recycled cashmere, biodegradable everything, and sustainable denim are on my mind this week.
Our carbon footprint on this planet is pretty obscene so I’ve been calling out brands that use recycled fibers and sustainable manufacturing practices because I want to do what I can to promote products that are better for our planet. Even my favorite department store Nordstrom has an entire section for their sustainable style
This pillbox manufacturer donates 62 cents of every product purchase to fund the collection of 6800 lbs of plastic waste from oceans and landfills every year in partnership with Taka Taka Solutions and rePurpose Global. It might be too compact to hold all my vitamins but it will certainly hold my RX meds.
RECYCLED CASHMERE
Recycled cashmere anything is always a novel idea and is available in more places of late.
MORE RECYCLED CASHMERE
BIODEGRADABLE SPONGES
I don’t know about you, but kitchen sponges gross me out. No matter how scrupulous I am about rinsing and squeezing them out, they still look gross in a day or so. And even though I run mine through the dishwasher, I know they’re still loaded with germs.
I found the coolest little sponges that are meant for one-day use only that are 100% compostable, and affordable! Each box contains 30 compressed loofah sponges in a 3-inch square box. They look like a cracker until you run them under the water, then poof, instant sponge. You can subscribe to receive a box every month and save 20% (they’re already super affordable) or you can buy 3, get one free with the code HOLIDAY2021. Shipping is free in the US.
SUSTAINABLE DENIM
Denim is considered one of the most damaging fabrics for our environment and one of my favorite garments. A single pair of jeans can take up to 1,500 liters to make and water is a very precious resource.
- Boden makes several styles of recycled cotton jeans.
- Universal Threads denim from Target is committed to using more sustainably sourced cotton & recycled polyester in Universal Thread jeans.
- Free Assembly from Walmart is as good-looking as it is affordable, and is committed to sustainability
- Levis Wellthread is “constantly researching radical new ways to make the clothes you love while leaving less harm in their wake” including denim.
- Able uses fabrics from mills that are developing different sustainable types of denim and recycles the water used in processing.
RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLE JEWELRY
We all know what a nightmare plastic bottles are to our environment. They’re filling our oceans and landfills at an alarming rate. Clever folks are now making jewelry from upcycled plastic bottles and some of it is amazing!
My mind has been also deep diving into personal color analysis, our style essence, dressing for our body proportions, and how to dress with authenticity. I shared in my Newsletter (are you subscribed?) about the most flattering way to use contrast when putting your outfits together, and will share more later.
What’s on your mind this week?
Thanks for reading and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
So , Is there a place to donate our used clothing that is not wearable anymore, so that it gets recycled? 100 % cotton? What about all our leisure wear? Stretchy jeans?
Check with your local Good Will. Many sell it to textile recyclers.
I agree with the great need to try not to consume so much. But if there is nothing new to buy, we would have no fun either! maybe Jennifer could do a post about “bought it (last year, 2 years ago) updated with (one new thing)”. I also think the no buy November is a great idea (like the no sweets between now and Thanksgiving idea). Wonder if I can stick with either of those! As a sewist I also learned there is a site/store that takes unused fabric for those of us who adhere to the maxim, she who dies with the most fabric (in the sewing stash) wins! The store is in Seattle in the Pike’s Place Market. I don’t remember the name.
Mary f. the award for the most fabric has already been won LOL My sister and I have been clearing the house of an 88 year old family friend that died. She had no family and we have known her since we were teens. MY Mom and this woman were both Fibre Artists so lots of yarn, threads for stitcheries, beads, and yes fabric. Her father had been a Tailor so having lots of fabric around was not unusual for her….there were 3 FULL ROOMS of fabric neatly stacked and organized….enough to stock a store. The sad part is that very few people sew any more….too bad because a garment sewn well will last
Hey Lauren: The name of the place I was writing about is Our Fabric Stash. You can contact them at ourfabricstash.com. You can mail them good fabric. Sounds like you might have some quality stuff! There are actually many people who sew and young people are very much part of that group, though sewing is certainly not as prevalent as it once was, and is mostly not taught in middle school anymore.
Thanks, Mary!
Great post! I purchased the bag and am so happy! I also just turned 75! It’s an amazing age. My demographic is almost totally ignored. (Over 70). There are so many of us. Look alive, retailers!
Thank you Jennifer, for calling our attention to sustainable products. I love the jewelry! And the Jeans!
The Newsletter? Is this not the newsletter? If not, I need it!
Happy Birthday!!! The Sunday email is my newsletter:)
I, too, have been doing some further evaluation of my personal style and color. Some of those earrings made from plastic bottles are beautiful.
Here’s what I’m including in household gifts this season: coconut husk dish scrubbers and loofah pot scrubbers, that can be put in the compost bin after their lifespan. Loofah is a cucumber-like vegetable grown in hot climates, not a sea creature.
We don’t live like they did 100 years ago. This becomes clearer to me every day since we moved into our 100 year old house (thankfully preserved and not gutted for renovations.) We have six bedrooms with dinky closets because 100 years ago people did not have as many clothes. Our closets combined would not make one of the huge walk-ins you see in magazines. (We compensate with some antique armoires.) When the clothes wore out, they tore them into cleaning rags. Everything needed to be washed in a wringer machine, dried on the line outside and then ironed. We have these modern fabrics to eliminate a lot of that, so we buy more clothes. The man who built my house was the richest one in town at the time, but even he had to conform to that lifestyle and its inherent sustainability.
Your house sounds amazing! I grew up in a house like that and my bedroom didn’t even have a closet.