Good news, bras can now be recycled. Rather than sending your old bras to landfill you can help the environment, and help others less fortunate than yourself by recycling your old bras. There are a number of appeals for bras, below are details on a few of them.
Breast Talk
Breast Talk (http://www.breasttalk.co.uk/bra-appeal/) is running a Bra Appeal. They donate the bras they receive to charities in the UK and overseas. Usable bras will go to help homeless and under privileged women. Damaged bras are recycled into quilts and are donated to homeless charities and are also used by the emergency services to keep victims or people suffering from shock warm.
They can use nearly all types of bra:
• All sizes, even US or European. In particular larger or smaller sizes.
• All styles of bras but not too sexy or see through.
• All clasps and straps must be in working order unless sending worn/torn bras.
• All types of bra, maternity, nursing, sports etc…
Bra Appeal asks that you please wash all bras before you post them and that you attach a small piece of paper to each bra stating the size. Attach to one of the straps with a paper clip. If you are sending new bras please let them know that they are new. All worn or torn bras can be sent in, but need to be marked on the label in pen for sorting purposes.
Please send bras to:
BreastTalk.co.uk — Bra Appeal
P.O. Box 71
Craven Arms
SY7 0WZ
ENGLAND
Please Note: Bra Appeal does not have the facilities to accept large quantities of bras from companies or large organisations. They can only cater for individuals donations.
Against Breast Cancer
Against Breast Cancer raise money for vital research through their many recycling schemes.
Along with bras, Against Breast Cancer also recycle mobile phones, printer cartridges and clothes, as well as running a tree planting scheme.
For information about the bra recycling scheme, click here.
More information is available on their website http://www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising/recycling/.
Oxfam
Once you've nominated your castoffs, take them down to Oxfam where they can forward the bras to Oxfam's recycling plant Wastesaver. From there, they can either recycle the fabric or put them in the hands of traders who send them over to developing countries where apparently bras are welcomed with open arms.
According to Tony Clark, General Manager at Wastersaver:
"Bras are the most desirable item we get. They are technically difficult to make and those from here are considered to be of superior quality in the developing world."
RHS Grow Your Own campaign
As part of its drive to encourage Britain’s gardeners to garden more sustainably and grow their own food, the RHS created the Hanging Bra-sket back in 2009.
Sewn by hand, from donations of underwired brassieres from enthusiastic gardeners and Marks & Spencer, the Hanging Bra-sket adds a bit of fruity fun to the traditions of Grow Your Own. In these conical creations they planted up herbs, flowers, vegetables and fruit to prove that you don’t need a lot of space to start gardening, just a bit of imagination.
To avoid boys feeling left out, they also included a selection of pants and boxers on their edible washing line.
The RHS gave thanks to Cooks Garden Centre for its expertise in filling these fabulous garments.
The RHS has been running its Grow Your Own Campaign since 2007 and in that time it has helped more than half a million people enjoy the benefits of home-grown produce.
To find out more, visit the Grow Your Own website.
The RHS Grow Your Own Campaign is sponsored by NS&I.
Georgie Webb of the RHS, said, “Due to their conical shape, bras are ideal containers for turning into hanging baskets, and if you sew two together, you have what is best described as a ‘hanging bra-sket’. Once filled with compost you can grow salad leaves, herbs, alpine strawberries and even tumbling cherry tomatoes in them; the bigger the bra the more you can grow. But the serious message behind the ‘bra-skets’ is that you do not need a lot of space or even a lot of money to start growing your own food – just a bit of imagination.”
Visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show were be able to place their spare (clean) undergarments in a ‘laundry basket’ located at the Show.
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The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) put out a call out for donations of any clean unwanted bras, boxer shorts and jockey pants for its summer Grow Your Own campaign. The donated underwear, along with stock contributed by Marks and Spencer, was turned into a fruitful display for the ‘good life’ themed Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, from 7 - 12 July 2009.
Buy Organic
Another way of helping the environment is to buy Organic bras next time you are purchasing underwear. Organic underwear is made without the use of chemicals and is coloured using environmentally safe dyes. Workers are paid fair salaries, avoiding sweatshop labour.
By Nature also have a wide range of Organic underwear, along with many other products.
Other ideas
For some creative ideas for your old bras see the link below.
http://www.gomestic.com/Do-It-Yourself/Amazing-Uses-for-Old-Bras.63891