Upcycling with Habiliment

Alright, Eco-Moms, it's time to really live up to the "eco" in our Eco-Mom title.  Let me start by bringing up the term Upcycle.  Upcycling is a critical concept when we think about the idea of living an eco-conscious lifestyle - it's the idea that you can take an old thing and make it new.  Re-purpose and re-use the old to make it functional, beautiful, and/or relevant.  In order to be as ecofriendly as possible, us mom's have the responsibility to repurpose items in our homes and give them new life. 

Going out to the mall to buy clothes, shopping online for toys... these are common actions nowadays.  Doing that shopping while also supporting the idea of upcycling?  Not so common.  With that in mind, I want to share a discovery with you - Habiliment.  This company is a way to combine shopping and upcycling, bringing eco-conscious products into our homes and giving them new life.

Made from an old houndstooth coat, this pillow toy in the shape of a bunny rabbit is a new favorite in my daughter's nursery.  It's amazing to see what a sewing machine and an old coat can do!  I don't want to sound like a used car salesman, but this is a seriously exciting concept.  This toy is adorable - I've even found my six year-old carrying it around the house... and to think that it might have been a just dusty coat somewhere in a landfill.

Plus, how cute is the packaging?  When I received my pillow toy in the mail, I almost didn't want to unwrap it!  The obvious time and effort put into every product is another big reason why I'm so supportive of this brand.

One potential misgiving about upcycled materials is always quality - when you're reusing something old to create something new, will this "new" thing be rundown from the start?  Absolutely not the case with our adorable pillow toy.  The sewing is outstanding and the materials selected are vintage, but high quality.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this upcycled toy lasts longer than my daughter's factory made teddy bears.  Here's a close up of the "ears" on our bunny - Does that looked recycled to you?

All of the items available from Habiliment follow this same idea, or are produced using the Indian handcrafted fabric of Khadi, which is both culturally important to the people of India and also made outside of a sweatshop or factory, as so many fabrics unfortunately are.

I am passionate about being ecofriendly, and I'm extremely supportive of brands that seek to provide consumers with ecofriendly products.  I hope you'll take a look at the different clothes and upcycled products that Habiliment has to offer - they definitely get my stamp of approval!

Habiliment Website

Image (c) Habiliment

EcoMom: Recycle Your Breast Pump!

Breast is best, right?  But what happens once you've transitioned your baby over to solid foods and you no longer need your breast pump?  Do you shove your pump away in a dark closet never to see it again?  Maybe you have no idea what to do with it?  Here's a breakdown for us mom's with Medela Breast Pumps and the process of recycling our pumps once we're done with them.

Medela Recycles

If you're like me and you opted to buy a Medela breast pump, there's a really cool program that you NEED to know about.  It's called Medela Recycles.  This is a program where you can send off your old electric breast pump to be recycled at zero cost to you.  Added bonus?  Each month Medela sends a donation of two Symphony Preemie+ Breastpumps the Ronald McDonald House Charity thanks to the mom's that are recycling their old pumps through Medela Recycles - FANTASTIC! 

Many of these mom's have babies in the NICU and the only option to get breast milk to their little ones is through pumping on a daily basis.  Getting a free pump can take away just one of the added stresses that these mother's face during such a difficult time.  

Fun Fact: Medela began this recycling campaign through learning of a Change.Org petition started by a regular EcoMom looking for a way to recycle her old pump in a way that was ecofriendly.  It just goes to show that us mom's CAN make a difference!

Get more details on the program by clicking the image below!  So far, they've received almost 3,000 donations.

What if I have a Manual Pump?

Not everyone is going to have an electric pump, though, so what can you do if you'd still like to recycle your pump, but don't qualify for Medela Recycles?  If you have a manual Medela pump, you need to know that they aren't "closed system" pumps - so, essentially, they aren't really made to be used my multiple moms.

However, the good news is that Medela does make their pumps out of recyclable materials for the most part, so all you need to do is take your pump to your local recycling center and Ta-Da!  You've sent you pump to breast-pump-heaven without hurting the environment.

That's great, but my pump isn't Medela...

There are so many brands of breast pumps out there and I'm sure a few readers might not have gone with Medela as their pump choice - But it's important to empower yourself with knowledge!  Check the materials your non-Medela pump is made from and see if they're recyclable.  Go to the manufacturer's website and see if their pumps are suitable for multiple mom's - you may be able to give your pump to a friend or family member for sterilization and re-use.