One of the most important ways that we can care for our dear Earth’s resources is by being really mindful about the possessions we already own. As we are starting to appreciate more widely, reusing items over and over again is much more impactful than sending things to be recycled; repairing something worn is usually more sustainable than buying new, even if we are ethical and thoughtful shoppers. Caring for your possessions actually generates true wellbeing!
But it’s true that reusing does involve a little bit more thought and organisation than relying on disposable (or near-disposable) options like single-use plastic bottles, cheaper plastic packaging or even nowadays, quickly discarded clothing. Busy lives can make keeping track of moveable items difficult – of course children get caught up in playground games or classroom activities and somehow everyday items seem just to drift away, get left on random chairs, used as goalposts and soon forgotten. It feels hard sometimes to justify the little extra expense for a sturdy reusable lunchbox or water bottle when every family knows the agony of the dreaded lost property black hole..! Although teachers work hard to make the best of this situation by appointing lost property monitors who can take items back to classrooms, or having regular lost property reclaim events (some schools even include unclaimed items in their second-hand uniform events), there will always be a final pile of unlabelled items that have to go to landfill, which can feel pretty demoralising.
We are always enthusiastic to collaborate with like-minded businesses that are working to make sustainable habits like re-use easier for families. We are really happy to team up with UK-based company My Nametags, (www.mynametags.com) Founded by a Dad who simply wanted to make it easier to keep track of his children’s possessions at school – and avoid the lost property dead end – My Nametags makes really easy to use, very hard-wearing labels that can be used on fabric and hard surfaces alike. If it moves, it can be My Nametagged! Having a very clear name tag makes a huge difference to whether you will ever see that rain jacket, lunchbox, wooly hat or scarf again, making it worth investing in. Although it feels easier to use a marker pen on a clothing label, those fade or smudge quickly and aren’t always spotted by monitors – a clear, neat label inside the collar will nearly always mean the items will find their way back to your child’s desk or locker before too long.
In our partnership, My Nametags are now including an ApparelXChange flyer in customer order packages, letting customers know about our sustainable vision, how to get involved in a postal campaign, and find excellent preloved stock that can be purchased across the UK through our online shop. Lars B. Andersen, Founder and CEO of My Nametags, says, "At My Nametags, we are very keen to support ApparelXchange and the excellent work they are doing. Too many pieces of school uniforms end up being discarded even when they are good as new, so having an organisation that helps find new homes for this clothing is great for families and great for the environment."
We’re delighted to be joining forces for good in the world of sustainable children’s clothing: together we are getting there!