Labels

The perfect use for scraps....

I love the bumGenius changing mats for many reasons. They are beautiful. They are the perfect size for out and about. Each one is completely unique.

But mostly I love them because they represent the very best in environmental practice. BumGenius operate a zero waste policy and every scrap of bumgenius pul waste is reused in these mosiac changing mats. Rather than take the easy option of throwing away this material, bumGenius take the time to sew it all together and come up with these beautiful mats, which are just perfect.

This is what manufacturing, and life in general, should be about. I think a lot of what is wrong with our society is that we are a throw away society. Its easy, just dump and don't think. Often its cheaper to replace rather than renew or repair. BumGenius came out with their fantastic refresher kits so that their nappies can be used on more children, with just repairing the easily repairable bits.

It is one of my bug bears in life. How easily people just dump stuff without thinking does it have a second life? I must admit this is why I love all the free cycle site and philosophy. This is exactly what these mats are, a second life for seemingly useless scraps.


So I am giving some of these away. Just simply tell us your best tips for recycling, reducing or reusing.
Email Post
Labels:

Comments

claire lewis said…
I have some old blanket and have made my own liners and wipes for Amy rose.
24 February 2011 at 21:35
Anonymous said…
here are my best tips:
having a book circle to swap & pass on books once they have been read

set up a small rail or box at your local playgroup encourage people to bring children's/baby's ld clothes & operate a put one in take one out scheme

old or shrunk woolen items can be reused by felting and turning into baby booties or items like small purses or brooches.

Lovely mats! :)
24 February 2011 at 21:42
Jo said…
These mats are beautiful!! I had hoped to make one myself but I didn't want to buy waterproof backing so I have been making do. As for my recycling, instead of buying wipes for my little boy, I bought a water spray canister, like the hairdressers use and cut up an old jersey bedsheet. It works out so well, as I throw the wipes in with my bumgenius nappies and they all get washed together and as it was a king size sheet, it resulted in about 70 wipes so I never run out. The wipes and spray kit work fantastically when out and about. Hope this is helpful!
24 February 2011 at 21:43
Sara C said…
WOW!! hats off to BG.. i had NO idea about these. So so pleased such a massive clothy company are doing this!

We give all our scraps to our animals.. Dogs/Rabbits/Horses.(and any stale bread gets made into fat balls for birds in the winter! All food that can be frozen and made into another meal is never thrown away.

I make a few bits and pieces for myself (reusable wipes and such) and all of the scrappy pieces of material are used to make either dogs beds, dollies blankets for my little one or if they scraps are teeny tiny i use them to stuff the dogs beds!

We always try to buy with the least amount of packaging (like from farm shops etc) but anything that has plastic packaging is inevitably used again... Last years eureka moment was freezing apples/bananas/other yummy treats in an old icecream tub with lots of water then throwing it out for the dogs to cool them off.. that icecream tub got used hundreds of times and the dogs loved it!

ok i may have gone on a bit there and cant think of anything that is of use to most people..its late and i have severe baba brain!!!
24 February 2011 at 21:46
Unknown said…
I make patchwork quilts and none of the fabric is wasted, whether it be used in a perfect 5 inch square design or a completely random quilt. I even make memory quilts out of babies clothes - a fab way to reuse something precious, make something that will keep you warm at night and give you something beautiful to pass on to the next generation! :)
24 February 2011 at 21:50
Unknown said…
I hate wasting food, so once a week we have a leftovers night! I also save the crumbs from the bottom of cereal packs and make cereal bars, healthy(ish) and great for on the go.

I also cut up a fleece blanket for wipes and nappy liners, keep baby's bum nice and dry.
24 February 2011 at 21:54
Loubealice said…
I have made my little one a lovely play mat out of an old duvet cut in half and sewn up, covered in my curtains from when I was a little girl. She loves the brights 90's colours!!

The other half has been covered in old bath towels and the dog loves her new bed!!
24 February 2011 at 22:10
Heidi Green said…
Use old jumpers to make into longies, the more felted the better!! Charity shops are great for finding them too.

I use the ribbons out of tops (the ones to hold them onto coat hangers) for card making and crafts. For clothes that are unsuitable for charity shops to sell, remove the buttons for sewing/cardmaking/craft projects then bag up the clothes mark as rags and then the charity shops can still make some money from them. Buy books, DVDs etc from charity shops then donate them back when you've finished with them.

It's great to see a big company like bumgenius reducing their waste!
24 February 2011 at 22:12
jenny said…
I am not very good at making things, but I try to reuse what I can.
I made some boosters out of an old sheet.
Cut off bottoms of knee holed trousers, and use as shorts.
A left over joint of meat I make a curry stew out of, to make sure every bit of meat is used, and i Put in any veg that needs using up.
24 February 2011 at 22:22
R said…
With my daughter's old PJs that were stained with breakfast foods, I cut out the front and back and now use them for face and hand wipes. They're really soft and just the right size.
24 February 2011 at 22:22
Katrina said…
Near enough all of our baby stuff was second hand, given to us by generous friends who had finished having children- including our first ever cloth nappies! i intend to pass it all on to someone else who needs it when we are finished with it all, probably using freecycle (or freegle as it is here in Leicester!) or to a local womens refuge project.

One random eco friendly recycling tip- old adults wellies make perfect planters for carrots or parsnips for on a wall or patio.
24 February 2011 at 22:44
katheyip said…
Always been into recycling and we recycle almost everything in the house! We plan our meal doesn't buy more than we need, no food wastage and even have our own composter.

Being pregnant brought out my nesting instinct and with baby due in 3 months, I have been busy preparing for baby's birth! Bought cloth nappies, learning to knit and decorating the nursery with home made pom poms are just some of the things I'm up to.

Recently, started cutting up old / non-matching linen / pillow cases and making soft toy for the baby. Check this out, made using old pillow case stuffed using old pillows and scrap of materials from left over craft projects!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katheyip/5476009704/
25 February 2011 at 07:59
TaraSD said…
I reuse envelopes as a telephone notepad. Clip together at the narrow end & write on the backs. Jam jars make great pencil holders. Ziplok bags can be washed out & used for keeping jigsaws in one place when the box is dropped. A full 500ml water bottle in the toilet cistern reduces the water used in each flush.
25 February 2011 at 09:14
Nic said…
Making baby cloths out of old adult cloths (especially trousers to go over his big cloth bum). Seeing these mats means no more of my waste PUL will be thrown!
25 February 2011 at 10:22
Emma H said…
Well I have used the same nappies on both my babies adding some along the way. I try my best to mend old clothes, if theres a tare I sew it up but if there's no hope for an item then I cut it up and use it for cleaning or particularly nice fabric is used as wipes or liners. I hate to see any food go to waste so I try and make something out of any left overs to ensure food waste is kept at a mimimum. Things like carrot or potato pealings are used for compost and any items we dont need I donate to charity shops.
25 February 2011 at 14:36
Jody Smith said…
another one here who uses old fleece blankets to make liners and wipes, practically all our outgrown baby stuff gets passed on, we use old food containers for arts and crafts projects, and some goes to nursery to be used, baby food jars for making snowglobes, yoghurt pots as paint containers etc.
25 February 2011 at 15:13
Ed's mum said…
Instead of buying wrapping paper I reuse newspaper and pages from magazines - I usually manage to find a funny page or appropriate story to wrap someones present in!
25 February 2011 at 17:24
R Lawson said…
we always meal plan, My GF has also made a lovely keepsake blanket from our LOs first clothes and other special bits and pieces.
We always re use parcel bags and newspapers for the rabbit bedding :)
25 February 2011 at 23:25
Gidget said…
Great topic and I had no idea they were a 0 waste company! Love what they represent!

Besides sorting all our rubbish, we make a sort of Pot Luck at the middle and end of weeks to eat up any left overs we might have. We absolutely hate throwing out food and hubbie flatters me by saying my cooking should be enjoyed twice. haha! We also buy fresh goods twice a week at the market to prevent spoiled veggies.

Cloth wipes saves loads from the rubbish piles and work much better. We grab a container of warm water with a drop of bath oil and we're good to go. Our Little Guy loves the warm, wet cloths.

Things like making our own babyfood, using cloth diapers (love them!) and walking / taking public transport are daily things we feel make a difference in our community.
26 February 2011 at 09:31
Penny Stevenson said…
I use little yoghurt drink bottles to make mini bowling pins, the kids love tiny 10 pin bowling
26 February 2011 at 11:20
Unknown said…
We use reusable bottles for collecting/exchanging breastmilk with our donor (we have to supplement). But on a perhaps more universal tip.. we keep chickens and almost all of our veggies scraps (uncooked) get given to the girls and turned into yummy eggs!
26 February 2011 at 13:40
Unknown said…
I use old blankets to make liners, old teeshirts or towels to make boosters and wipes. Any left over food is made into friters on fridays. I use old cloths to make quilts or pillow cases also. But my favorite is using old washing up liquid bottles as a bath toy, my kids play with them for hours in the bath or paddling pool in the summer.
26 February 2011 at 20:33
Gina said…
I made noisy toy shakers out of old curry spice containers, bits of ribbons out of clothes and from presents and small scraps of material! You can use ring pulls or lentils for the noisy bit.

Not sure if this picture link will work:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=155459&id=571475145#!/photo.php?fbid=500460830145&set=a.282480275145.155459.571475145&theater
26 February 2011 at 23:54
Post a Comment

Popular Posts