Textile waste is being diverted through a variety of projects on Gabriola Island, including pillows, dog beds and "un-paper towels." (Gabriola Island Recycling Organization)

By Alex Rawnsley

WHAT'S OLD IS NEW

Textile recycling project on Gabriola Island turning waste into wonderful

Sep 12, 2021 | 6:25 AM

GABRIOLA ISLAND — A program aiming to divert unrecyclable and undesired clothing and other materials from the landfill has made some early strides.

The Gabriola Island Recycling Organization (GIRO) hosted an open contest for residents on Gabriola in spring 2021, to take some of the thousands of pounds of worn clothes and other textiles they receive and turn it into something new.

Michelle Kresnyak from GIRO told NanaimoNewsNOW, three projects caught their eye including turning an endless supply of unrecyclable polyester waste into sound dampening panels, an idea spawned by a BCIT professor and one of their grad students.

“The poly is much more capable of capturing sound than cotton. We made a prototype…it really shows a lot of potential because one panel can hold eight to 16 pounds of polyester fiber in the pockets behind the panel and that in theory could use a lot of fiber we have in the waste stream.”

Upwards of 1,000 pounds of textile waste per week from local residents alone comes into GIRO with around 45 per cent being polyester.

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The waste is made up of garments and other textiles which are stretched, pilled or otherwise not able to be sold in store.

Two other projects were also chosen by GIRO as effective ways to not only use textile waste, but to create a sellable product from recycled materials.

One creator used shredded material for stuffing in creating dog beds and cushions made from a patchwork of denim.

Another created “un-paper towels”.

“It caught our eye because it replaces products that are considered single use, like a paper towel,” Kresnyak said. “It’s two pieces of fabric sewn together, towelling on one side and cotton on the other. It can be used as a paper towel, a cloth, we would sell them in a pack of six.”

The next step for the group is raising some additional funding for creation of a makerspace building adjacent to the GIRO store, an idea which arose from early market research on the Island.

The space would house an industrial shredder along with sewing stations and other equipment for locals to use and create products from textile waste.

Just over $70,000 of an initial $103,000 grant from the Regional District of Nanaimo will carry over to 2022, thanks to unanimous approval at the Sept. 7 board meeting.

GIRO were also granted $50,000 from the Island Coastal Economic Trust and are hopeful for success in further round of grants through the RDN and other sources to raise another $100,000 for purchase of a shredder and construction of the makerspace.

“If we can prove this project is viable, sustainable and is clearly something that can be replicated then we’d take this project and scale it up in the district because the waste stream in the district is significantly different to what we’re dealing with in Gabriola.”

The group is looking at different ways of expanding in Nanaimo, but currently don’t have any collection options away from Gabriola Island.

More information on C2C and GIRO is available on their website.

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alex.rawnsley@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley