#Reduce the waste

[silverfroot]

organizing shampoo bars

Organizing my shampoo and conditioner bars along with my sanitary pads.

I used a cardboard box, covered with leftover cloth that I sewed by hand.

I am far from perfect zero waste, couldn't adapt to menstrual cups or O.B. or menstrual panties.

However, not being perfect doesn't stop me from trying the best I can in all the rest.

#Reduce the waste #zero waste #zerowaste #sustainability #recycling #recycle #reduce reuse recycle #ecofriendly #earthfriendly #reuse #creative reuse #cardboard box #cardboard cutouts #textile design #textile crafts #textile waste #shampoo and conditioner #shampoo bars #Conditioner bars #Organizing #Organization #Eco cosmetics #eco friendly

[reasonsforhope]

It’s an open secret in fashion. Unsold inventory goes to the incinerator; excess handbags are slashed so they can’t be resold; perfectly usable products are sent to the landfill to avoid discounts and flash sales. The European Union wants to put an end to these unsustainable practices. On Monday, [December 4, 2023], it banned the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear.

“It is time to end the model of ‘take, make, dispose’ that is so harmful to our planet, our health and our economy,” MEP Alessandra Moretti said in a statement. “Banning the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will contribute to a shift in the way fast fashion manufacturers produce their goods.”

This comes as part of a broader push to tighten sustainable fashion legislation, with new policies around ecodesign, greenwashing and textile waste phasing in over the next few years. The ban on destroying unsold goods will be among the longer lead times: large businesses have two years to comply, and SMEs have been granted up to six years. It’s not yet clear on whether the ban applies to companies headquartered in the EU, or any that operate there, as well as how this ban might impact regions outside of Europe.

For many, this is a welcome decision that indirectly tackles the controversial topics of overproduction and degrowth. Policymakers may not be directly telling brands to produce less, or placing limits on how many units they can make each year, but they are penalising those overproducing, which is a step in the right direction, says Eco-Age sustainability consultant Philippa Grogan. “This has been a dirty secret of the fashion industry for so long. The ban won’t end overproduction on its own, but hopefully it will compel brands to be better organised, more responsible and less greedy.”

Clarifications to come

There are some kinks to iron out, says Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany and the European Fashion Alliance (EFA). The EFA is calling on the EU to clarify what it means by both “unsold goods” and “destruction”. Unsold goods, to the EFA, mean they are fit for consumption or sale (excluding counterfeits, samples or prototypes)...

The question of what happens to these unsold goods if they are not destroyed is yet to be answered. “Will they be shipped around the world? Will they be reused as deadstock or shredded and downcycled? Will outlet stores have an abundance of stock to sell?” asks Grogan.

Large companies will also have to disclose how many unsold consumer products they discard each year and why, a rule the EU is hoping will curb overproduction and destruction...

Could this shift supply chains?

For Dio Kurazawa, founder of sustainable fashion consultancy The Bear Scouts, this is an opportunity for brands to increase supply chain agility and wean themselves off the wholesale model so many rely on. “This is the time to get behind innovations like pre-order and on-demand manufacturing,” he says. “It’s a chance for brands to play with AI to understand the future of forecasting. Technology can help brands be more intentional with what they make, so they have less unsold goods in the first place.”

Grogan is equally optimistic about what this could mean for sustainable fashion in general. “It’s great to see that this is more ambitious than the EU’s original proposal and that it specifically calls out textiles. It demonstrates a willingness from policymakers to create a more robust system,” she says. “Banning the destruction of unsold goods might make brands rethink their production models and possibly better forecast their collections.”

One of the outstanding questions is over enforcement. Time and again, brands have used the lack of supply chain transparency in fashion as an excuse for bad behaviour. Part of the challenge with the EU’s new ban will be proving that brands are destroying unsold goods, not to mention how they’re doing it and to what extent, says Kurazawa. “Someone obviously knows what is happening and where, but will the EU?”"

-via British Vogue, December 7, 2023

#fashion #slow fashion #style #european union #eu #eu news #eu politics #sustainability #upcycle #reuse #reduce reuse recycle #ecofriendly #fashion brands #fashion trends #waste #sustainable fashion #sustainable living #eco friendly #good news #hope

[wastelesscrafts]

I read somewhere that embroidered clothes need to be washed differently. Is this true? I read that right after getting a bunch of embroidery floss to visibly mend some clothes

Washing embroidered clothes

Yup! Check out my post on securing embroidery thread, which includes laundry instructions. My embroidery tag's also a good resource.

Handmade embroidery tends to be fragile, so it's important to properly secure your thread and take good care of the embroidered item. If you don't, you risk for your threads to come loose.

If you're not careful when washing embroidered items, your embroidery threads could get snagged on things like buttons or zippers in the washer.

Try to either wash them by hand (safest), or use your machine's delicate cycle combined with a laundry bag. Always let the item air-dry.

#wasteless crafts #ask #embroidery #laundry #diy #mending #visible mending #embroidery thread #fibre arts #fibre crafts #clothing care #fashion #fast fashion #slow fashion #sustainable fashion #sustainability #zero waste #reduce reuse recycle

[persnickety-doodles]

Bite

#arcane #caitvi #piltover’s finest #violyn #persnickety doodles #alicia draws #ngl the bite doodles were recycled from another ship #I am ashamed but I don’t draw them much anymore #and I didn’t want this to go to waste #reduce reuse recycle

[zerofuckingwaste]

Easy zero waste tip no. 3: Know your R's

Refuse: If you don't acquire the thing that will become waste in the first place, it won't produce further waste. Simple enough. Refuse that which you do not need. Example: All that cute stuff on that Buzzfeed article? You don't need it. Don't even click the link.

Reduce: If you need something, get the minimum. Note that this doesn't mean the cheapest option- it means the most effective and environmentally friendly option. Example: Instead of buying disposable razors, or a razor with changeable heads, try out a safety razor. Instead of using plastic toothbrushes, try out bamboo, and instead of toothpaste in disposable tubes, try out some toothpaste bits. Instead of buying chicken breasts for one thing and chicken broth for another, get a whole chicken and learn to butcher its meat, and make broth from the skin and bones.

Reuse: This means both being mindful of purchases, so you're only buying things that are reusable whenever possible (Example: use beeswax wrap instead of saran wrap), and repurposing things you've already bought (Example: use those little Oui yogurt containers to start seeds for your garden).

Recycle: Find out what your local recycling program actually recycles, and be mindful. Aluminum is a safe bet most of the time, as is paper/cardboard; but plastics, most of the time, are a dud, so try to refuse, reduce, and reuse plastic whenever possible so you don't even need to worry about recycling it. This also refers to donation- that's another valid way to recycle things!

Rot: If you have a yard, start a compost pile! Just try to get a 50/50 balance of food scraps to brown matter (paper, dry leaves, etc). If you have a freezer, you can stick a container in there to act as a compost thing until you can bring it to a compost facility, such as a local garden, or farm. If you don't have the ability to do either of these things, then you can see if there's a subscription compost service in your area (I used CompostNow for ages, they're great).

Understanding these five principles, and looking at them in this order, can make things easier. Next time you're buying something, or about to throw something away, consider which of these might allow you to reduce your waste output in the future.

#zero waste #sustainability #anti consumerism #anti consumption #eco friendly #sustainable #environment #five r's #refuse reduce reuse recycle rot #reduce reuse recycle #recycle #ecofriendly #recycling #compost #composting

[justalittlesolarpunk]

Solarpunk Sunday Suggestion

Host a clothing swap

#solarpunk #hopepunk #environmentalism #cottagepunk #social justice #community #optimism #bright future #climate justice #tidalpunk #lunarpunk #clothing swap #reduce reuse recycle #zero waste #buy nothing #everyday anticapitalism #stop fast fashion #solarpunksundays

[queer-ecopunk]

Scrap soup time babeyyy

#scrap soup #anticonsumerism #food #mine #ecopunk #solarpunk #reduce reuse recycle #low waste

[the-solarpunk-activist]

A lot of stuff I hear in sustainability circles is oh, I still live at home what can I do?

Besties there is so much you can do.

You got chores? Dishes one of them?

You can fill up the sink with water and wash with just that. Less water than constantly running

I find that gross but my grandma does it. When I do dishes I use a jar with a drop of soap, fill it with water, and dip my scrub brush in that so I'm not wasting soap.

Dry dishes with a towel

Air dry your dishes

You can also ask if you can keep a potted plant (edible plants are bonus points) or a garden

Also bonus points if you use food scraps for a garden. That's a whole topic for another post another day but seriously look into it

Or you can trade plants with friends and neighbors

Or steal cuttings

You can wash your clothes on cold, ask if you can hang dry your clothes

You can use eco friendly laundry detergent, or just start using the actual amount needed. That stuff is so concentrated it isn't even funny

Use reusables whenever you can

Try to eat less processed foods

Try to eat more plant based

Try to limit your car trips

Take walks and pick up litter

Go to the beach and pick up litter

Bonus points for separating recyclables

Learn to repair your clothes, a basic sewing kit should be all you need for simple mends

Shop at yard sales, thrift shops, second hand, or local

Shampoo bars

Soap bars

Yes including hand soap

Weave baskets out of toilet paper rolls. No idea how you do it but I've seen it and they look pretty cool

Learn an "old fashioned" skill, like spinning yarn, canning, gardening, basket weaving, wood carving, etc

Try to be creative!! So much about Solarpunk and sustainability is about being creative with your solutions

#solarpunk #environment #sustainable #environmentalism #environmentally friendly #practical solarpunk #eco friendly #low waste #low waste living #reduce reuse recycle #practical zero waste #zero waste living #zero waste in the city #zero waste #low impact #ecofriendly #environmental #sustainable craft #sustainable diy #sustainable living #sustainability #sustainable tip

[bats-and-anarchism]

This tote bag is nice and big but it had this annoying print on it because years ago i bought it at a fast fashion store to avoid a single use bag. And since i don't wanna be a walking ad and i am a little punk i am covering the print with patches. I might also make longer handles for it, so i can wear it over my shoulder. I painted most of the patches myself. This bag seems like a better place for them than my pants since i do wash my pants regularly /j. Also the weather in germany is always either too hot or too cold to wear denim jackets or vests (at least for my neurodivergent ass) so even though i do have a battle vest and a battle jacket, i barely wear them which is sad

So if u have some handy tote bags which have annoying logos on them, just cover it. U will probably use them more then since u put effort in it and they look much cooler :D

If u don't like the punk look, u could use an old shirt with a cool print on it that u don't wear anymore for whatever reason or make one big patch out of any piece of fabric big enough and paint something on it urself. It's a really fun project and hard to mess up and even if u mess it up, u can just detach ur patch and try again

#diy #diy or die #punkstyle #punks not dead #low waste #sewing #upcycle #reduce reuse recycle #practical solarpunk #solarpunk

[fluffalpenguin]

Happy Shun Duel Links Day!!! (party popper emoji)

#yugioh arc v #yugioh arc-v #arc-v #shun #yuto #comic #duel links #sorry for the long format but OOH it looks so clean when its all in one line!!! #this almost didn't make it out of my wip jail cells because i spent 30 mins on one of the panels #using references and everything but it just looked super duper odd and it was a waste of time overall #and don't even get me started on the toning (clenches fist) nothing was looking right at one point #but enough about the process i want to talk about the comic itself #part of the motivation for drawing this was seeing all the fluffy shunyoot celebration pics during his roaming event #they ARE cute but also i really really wanted so badly to see shun's visceral reaction that didn't reduce him to mere comedic fodder #(something i'm also guilty of) #so anyway like we always say in ygos we make our own food #wow im rambling anyways the last line of dialogue i had most trouble with but also the most proud of #no shade to the writers of the show (ok maybe like a LITTLE shade) but with this comic i really wanted to reflect the feelings of both #fans of the show as well as fans that left after the ending because that was something i saw floating on jp twitter during the roaming even #and it really made me Think #also can we talk about how in the event yuya was just like hey shun i have a surprise for you!!! haha :] #he was THERE when shun said never appear in front of me ever again did he think shun would just be omg yuto :) #this is why youre my favourite (yuya) #anyways last but not least #the final yuto panel is a healthy mix of guilt + existential dread and doubt about his own existence i hope that was obvious enough

[thestudentfarmer]

A quick share on what's been going on here~

Unfortunatly not much, still hot and I haven't gotten my seeds started due to weather watching.

This is all from 2 sweet potato slips. I plan to harvest some for supper tonight :)

And from the side, the trellis is from an archway we had up some time ago for the front. I'm hoping to make a little shaded space for the ducks, or at the least extend potential harvest vines (the ducks enjoy the leaves right off the vine)

I've also had some time to be able to do some mending this week.

This quilt needs some patching. Since it was among the first quilts i made, I decided I want to do something a bit different than how I've patched others.

I'm taking it apart. Figure I'll keep what fabric is salvageable in pattern and replace what isn't on the front panel. pin it and stitch it back together. Probably replace the border entirely as I noticed the fabrics worn pretty thin there. The busted fabric I'm gonna put in with my small scrap pile to use as a filling for a foot cushion I'm making for personal use.

I've gotten round to finally processing the carrot seed heads from last grow. I'm currently doing a germination test to see if it was worth it.

Final pic of the day is a chicken pic :) they very much enjoy when I do a bit of weed whacking.

🌱🪴Happy Homesteading 🪴🌱

#homesteading #self sufficient living #thestudentfarmer #studentfarmer #self sufficiency #food #garden #gardening #low waste #chickens #smalls scale differences #urban homesteading #urban gardening #sustainability #reduce reuse recycle #repair #quiltpanel #quilt

[borninwinter81]

Replacing my bag strap

Unlike many of my clothes and accessories this bag isn't thrifted. It's a bag by Jawbreaker that I absolutely love the look of, it has multiple pockets, tons of space inside, and is clearly great quality as I've had it for over 10 years and it's almost good as new. It's the only handbag I own, and I've no desire to get a new one.

However the one bit I've had to replace multiple times is the shoulder strap, since that's the bit that gets most wear and tear.

It originally had the kind of strap which clips on, but the problem with those is that after years of metal rubbing against metal, eventually it wears away to the point where the clip is thin enough that it snaps. Last couple of times I just put a new clip on, however this time not only were the clips worn away but so were the d-rings you're supposed to attach them to, so I did a more thorough job.

First of all I unpicked the stitching attaching the d-rings to the bag and replaced them with these large rectangular ones. I always save metal hardware from clothing items I mod or that are finally old and worn enough to be thrown away, and I think these came from a skirt. Happily I had two the same, so I used bits of the old strap which weren't too badly worn to make loops to sew them on.

I sewed them by hand with thick top-stitch thread doubled over, and I even did those criss-cross stitching lines to make them extra secure.

I then went to a nearby charity shop hoping to find a cheap bag I could steal the strap from, but even better, I came across this belt, the construction of which was extremely similar to the detailing already on the bag. It was £1, way cheaper than a replacement strap from ebay, which I have also bought in the past.

I didn’t want to cut the buckle off because the belt fabric would fray, so I unpicked the stitching around the buckle instead, and put the buckle away in my crafting box to hopefully reuse in the future - like I said, I save everything.

I wanted the eyelets on the belt to be visible as they match the rest of the eyelets on the bag, so I put the belt through the rectangle and folded it over as far as I could while still showing all the eyelets, then sewed it shut. Again, I did multiple rows of stitching to keep it secure, and I also oversewed down both sides.

I don't have a sliding buckle that would enable me to adjust the strap length, but I never adjust my bag strap anyway, so I just put the strap over my shoulder, adjusted it to a length that I liked, and sewed that end together too. This was a long belt so I ended up doubling it over quite far, but that's good as it will make this section of the new strap extra thick, so hopefully it's extra strong.

And there we go, it looks as if I bought it like this!

#goth diy #goth sewing #Goth bag #gothic fashion #goth aesthetic #goth crafting #diy #diy sewing #gothic diy #mending #sewing #reduce reuse recycle #no waste #alternative #alternative fashion #goth upcycling #upcycle #upcycling

[existential-dread-in-the-am]

Weird phenomenon while hiking: everyone gives me food. I have no idea why.

#sharing is normal and happens a lot #and so does people giving away extra food they won't need to reduce waste #but why in a thousand worlds is it always me who they give that food to???? #there are other people here! #everyone keeps insisting I take the food #I don't understand

[skunkes]

dpes anyone have

a weird fixation on waste. my sister got me that little macaroni plush and it came with a heart shaped box with mac and cheese flavored gummies and i ate 2 and did not like them

but not only are there many of them, they also come in packages of 2 gummies, each pair in a little plastic container, wrapped in plastic. And i keep feeling so sick about it because whether or not I eat them all or just toss them im contributing to waste in some form.

But also even if they had not been given to me the waste would have already been produced and existed. And I think abt it and feel horrible all the time forever. Especially after that whole thing abt how so little plastic is actually recycled. I know there's not rly anything I can do abt it but I work myself into horrendous guilt and worry anyway

#i go into a store and pass by the bakery and wonder what will happen to the food that doesnt get purchased #and i feel bad and then i feel worse because. the packaging. #had to stop myself from imagining an entire store as the waste in it #myabe i do have ocd. 😭😭😭😭 #talkys #i do try to reuse but thats jst leading to me having so much trash in my possession tbh #trying to reduce....trying to reduce....

[flovoid]

why is there another ts4 update. like plz.

#someone ​save me for wasting my time updating mods- #hopefully there is nothing to update #thats why I started to reduce my time doing gameplay in 2024 because of this #rando flovoid shit

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Since its emergence as a symbol of Remembrance after the First World War, poppies have taken on various shapes and sizes.

From handmade silk and cotton poppies to wartime poppies, 2023 sees the biggest change in the poppy’s design for a generation.

Made entirely from paper, the new plastic-free poppy is available alongside stock of the existing poppy to reduce waste and can be recycled in ordinary paper recycling collections.

As we approach Remembrance Sunday, please wear a poppy to show the Armed Forces community you care and help us raise vital funds to support Serving personnel, veterans, and their families all year round.

#Remembrance Sunday #Remembrance #Field of Remembrance #Remembrance Sunday 2023 #World War I #World War II #poppies #Armed Forces #military #military families #veterans #Royal British Legion #British Royal Family #plastic-free poppy #reduce waste #recycling