Friday, March 30, 2012

From Crib to Case to Covers


Every year students move in and out of their houses at the end of December and May. What does not move around with them is the extra baggage that out of style clothes and fabrics cause. I’m speaking from personal experience- when it’s time to move out, its time to move out. The last thing I am worried about is a shirt I bought last summer that doesn’t fit anymore due to my outdated dryers that bake clothes rather than dry them. This is where the Concept of Cradle to Cradle comes into play, and something I believe would be extremely sustainable. In cradle to cradle, waste or outdated products have a second life. In this second life, they are used as a resource. Sounds crazy I know, but my baked T-shirts can be reincarnated. I’ll explain in a second. Unlike recycling, where products are separated for specific components and made less valuable. In my idea, the uptaking takes the stage over recycling. On the podium, my idea creates waste into something MORE valuable. One significant difference is that not only will my crispy tshirts turn an out of style college freshman into Miss OSU, but it also please the ones who enjoy making frequent visits to coffee shops with their friend Macbook. Now to the idea.

Starting with me, I will begin collecting old clothes and use them as a “technical nutrient” which will allow the out of style college girls to have a trendy iphone case that is made from this fabric. This is one of the two concepts that are pertinent in Cradle to Cradle. Don’t worry I wasn’t trying to offend anyone who enjoys going to starbucks, because I am a coffee addict and own a macbook. Consider me a hypocrite, but spare me. The phone cases can be useful in many ways, but with my idea they can useful to the environment by promoting healthier and more beautiful gardens. The fabrics from the iphone cases have many uses to the environment- solely promoting biological process- not deterring. Holding in moisture, protecting from erosion, and protecting plants from chemicals that may enter the soil without this covering.

Lastly, I found an interesting excerpt from the article. “Whatever our society makes does not go away, and whatever is natural here, does not go away.” In saying, why should we not allow these things to provide the out of style girls with a dream guy? Cliché I know, but if the guys have are worth anything at all, they have a sense of style, and Iphones can make or break some girls. You don’t want your phone breaking on a night out with the girls, and you also don’t want to your phone to look like all the other ones, might as well make it cute. 

1 comment:

  1. Kellee,

    I was a little confused when I first started reading your blog this week, but then slowly caught on to what your idea is. What I gathered is that your plan is to transform old, cripsy college t-shirts into iPhone cases by recycling the fabric. Not only will they be trendy for users, but they will also be eco-friendly and give back to the environment. However, I am confused as to how the biological process of your case will protect plants from erosion and chemicals? Are you planning on planting them into the ground at their end use to feed the plants? I think you have a great general idea, you just need to be more specific in the concepts that make up your idea. If you are going down the biological metabolism route, the reading makes some strong points about a fabric that was designed to be "safe enough to eat" and would ultimately "nourish nature". Pull some points from there to help you with this part of your idea!

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