At Reborn Clothing Co., our mission goes beyond just providing eco-friendly products for your closet. We strive to reduce our carbon footprint any way we can, which includes making small shifts in our everyday lives. Whether it be our beauty routine or favorite household cleaners, the opportunities to make minor yet impactful changes are always popping up. We asked our leadership team some of their favorite sustainable swaps so that you can know all the tips and tricks that make reducing personal waste a little bit easier.
Emily Neville, Founder & CEO
Our founder isn’t just passionate about reducing textile waste—she’s always looking for new ways to lessen her ecological impact. Emily recently discovered an easy (and super adorable) way to repurpose old mascara wands. Just clean clean your mascara wand with soap and water and mail it to a Wildlife Refuge accepting donations. These used applicators are upcycled and used twofold: to clean away contaminates from wildlife and for medical care and wound treatment for animals. Next time you find yourself going to toss out a dried-out tube of mascara, opt to clean up your wand and use it to care for wildlife instead.
Click here for information on how to donate your wands.
Julie Biggs, VP of Growth
As a mom of two, Julie is always looking for ways to run her home more efficiently—it’s an added bonus when she finds a convenient swap that helps her family be more eco-friendly as well. Julie avoids single-use plastic whenever possible, so reusable snack bags have become a staple for her and her daughters. While prepping for the day, she puts a satisfying meal plus snacks in an easy-to-clean sustainable pouch. Being environmentally-conscious as a mom does more than help with an easy morning routine: it sets an example to her daughters on how little changes can make big impacts.
We love these microwavable, dishwasher-safe pouches from Stasher for storing all sorts of items from snacks to makeup. They can even be used as a waterproof case for your phone. Added bonus: The touchscreen can be used through the bag!
Deserie Lawrence, VP of Marketing
Like Julie, Deserie’s big on avoiding single-use plastic as well. Whether grabbing groceries or browsing boutiques, Deserie keeps a Reborn Everyday Tote on her shoulder to avoid using plastic bags at checkout. The tote makes sustainability in her everyday life more stylish and simple. She loves how the tote is a practical size with funky patterns. Having one or two of these bags around is the perfect addition to an well-accessorized yet eco-friendly lifestyle.
Shop Reborn + Sunbrella bags in a variety of styles. Hurry! They’re all unique since they’re upcycled from surplus fabric, and there’s only a few left in some colors.
Dianna Hughes, Director of Public Relations and Social Media
Bring the bar to your bathroom. Dianna’s favorite tip for a more sustainable hygiene routine is to swap bottled soaps and shampoos for package-free bar soaps and shampoos. You’ll get the same wash sans waste. Two pro-tips from Dianna: buy bar soap from your local farmer’s market to support small businesses and make sure to avoid microbeads when buying your soap. The less waste you can contribute, the better! Her favorite soap is Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Bar Soap; it lathers like a body wash and the paper it comes wrapped in is recyclable.
Dianna also loves shopping secondhand—it’s truly as sustainable as it gets. Whether it’s searching for an upcycled item created from materials that once served a different purpose or just browsing racks at thrift stores and vintage boutiques, there’s so many ways to find fashion and home goods that are gentle on the planet (and your wallet). Some of Dianna’s favorite secondhand shops include Circantiques and Sifted Clothing.
Devin Connare, Director of Product Development
Ditch the straw—the single-use one, anyway.
Australian scientists Denise Hardesty and Chris Wilcox analyzed the amount of trash collected on American beaches over a five-year period and discovered that there are nearly 7.5 million plastic straws polluting U.S. shorelines. Using these figures, the pair estimate that 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic clutter the entire world’s coastlines. Devin’s favorite sustainable swap helps eliminate plastic waste and protect our beaches by purchasing reusable straws that you can use every day. From sleek metallics to colorful silicones, this trend will brighten up your cup and reduce rubbage.
Maybe we’re a little biased, but our favorite reusables are our own silicone straw four-packs that come in a handy upcycled pouch made from fabric that was destined for a landfill. Find them in a variety of colors here.
What are your favorite sustainable swaps? Show us on Instagram! Follow us on Instagram @rebornclothing.co and tag us in your sustainable swaps pics. We’re in this together.