The Register Citizen: Graduates at many area colleges will be wearing “green” caps and gowns at commencement exercises this year, and it has nothing to do with their school colors.
It’s all part of a nationwide trend to graduate in attire made of recycled products, and at Southern Connecticut State University May 28, undergraduates will wear caps and gowns made from recycled plastic bottles. The new products are an alternative to the petroleum-based polyester gowns millions of graduates have bought each year.
Sounds like it could be stiff and uncomfortable, but Heather Stearns, recycling coordinator for Southern Connecticut State University, said the material is actually softer and more breathable than the old gear.
“The beauty of it is, the students coming to the university today come through elementary school, junior high and high school with a sense of sustainability,” Stearns said. “They’re coming with the expectation that we take them to the next level.”
The gowns, which are manufactured by Oak Hall Cap & Gown and known as the GreenWeaver line, are made in Virginia. Oak Hall estimates that it takes an average of 23 bottles to make each gown. In coming up with the final product, officials from Oak Hall settled on material made from recycled plastic after samples made from sustainable bamboo failed to impress customer service reps who wore them for a day.
College students wearing “green” for their graduation ceremonies [The Register Citizen]