Is recycled clothes the latest eco trend?
Even though recycling has been around for centuries — the earliest recording of recycling dates back to the ninth century in Japan, and filtered to the United States in the seventh — the recycling rampage is a fairly new fad. Recycling bins were made available in the 60s, with the entire nation doing their good deeds by recycling everything possible in the 90s.
What began as a movement to turn old metal, aluminum, and plastic into food containers and soda cans, sprouted into an organic waste recycling as well. All this was done to help rid the planet of too much waste.
The trend has also spread into figuring out ways to cut down on waste in general. Ecofriendlies beg people to turn off their water while brushing their teeth, bringing their own cloth tote bags to the grocery store, and using a reusable water bottle.
Now, companies have began making recycled items into clothing and apparel. Making apparel from recycled items launched with the tennis shoe. Many companies use the sidewall of the tire to make the soles of the shoes, and the inner tubing for laces and toe caps. Recently, Adidas jumped on the recycling band wagon and has a shoe line made strictly from recycled ocean plastic. Nike, Rothys and Timbaland have all created a line of shoes made from plastic.
Some companies have taken to converting old plastic bottles and the like to making coats, jackets and outerwear. One company, Girlfriend Collective, used the fact that most active clothes is made from polyester, the same components of plastic, and made a line of athletic wear.
Some companies have even made more practical attire for the ones not on the run. Terra & Sky has pants, shorts and shirts all made from recyclable plastic. Fair Harbor offers swimwear and hats that originate from unwanted plastic.
Now, small towns such as Madill might be a far cry from making a recyclable clothing line, but residents can still do their part in keeping plastic and other recyclable goods out of the landfills. Walmart has a bin for recycled plastic bags and plastic bottles, and the Kingston Town Hall has a bin specifically for recyclable items.