Storage areas are bursting at the Gabriola Island Recycling Organization as they continue an innovative project to better utilize upwards of 52,000 pounds of textile waste a year. (GIRO)

By Alex Rawnsley

REUSE

Gabriola textile recycling program expanding via shredder, production of own goods

Dec 12, 2021 | 11:03 AM

GABRIOLA ISLAND — It could literally be a rags to riches story, with a local non-profit making strides in keeping textile waste out of our landfill one shirt at a time.

The Gabriola Island Recycling Organization (GIRO) recently received a $92,000 grant from the Regional District of Nanaimo to continue their inventive project, which looks to divert upwards of 52,000 pounds of textiles from Gabriola’s waste stream every year.

Michelle Kresnyak, GM of the GIRO, told NanaimoNewsNOW they’re starting to narrow their focus after an initial phase, also funded by the RDN, helped creative juices flow.

“We really allowed the whole project to develop quite organically because it has to fit sit uniquely with this community’s waste stream so we have to allowing things to pivot where we need to so we’re creating the most viable, sustainable project going forward.”

The overarching idea behind GIRO’s C2C (cradle to cradle) Threads project is to take an article of clothing which would otherwise be thrown out and make something new.

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Products which were developed as a result included un-paper towels, dog beds and innovative acoustic sound panels.

“We had no idea really what product lines would come through this project and I think because we engaged the community, that was the key component to really start brainstorming what was possible, what we could make from this textile waste stream.”

Testing on the panels, namely the type of shredded materials which go inside, continues under the supervision of a BCIT professor.

Other goods, such as the un-paper towels are already at market and selling through GIRO under the “Re-Love Local” brand.

GIRO has approximately $72,000 remaining from a previous grant which was earmarked for a building to operate out of. The additional $92,000 will also go towards construction, in addition to the purchase of an industrial shredder for just under $60,000.

The idea is for the project to be more self-sufficient and streamlined.

Their inroads into textile waste have also caught the eye of other communities, eager to do the same.

Fay Weller, a co-lead on C2C Threads, said the volume of textile waste in those communities mirrors the per person totals on Gabriola Island.

She added they’re hoping to set the blueprint for others to follow.

“What we’d like to do in the future is work with communities, starting in the Nanaimo area and work with groups there so they can take their waste textile and start producing similar things or things their fabric artists in their area would like to start producing.”

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

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alex@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley