Keep up with terms commonly used among green-goers

3 R’s

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a lightweight, silver-white, metallic element that makes up approximately 7 percent of the Earth’s crust. Aluminum is mined and used in a variety of ways, but perhaps most familiarly in the manufacture of soft drink cans. Recycles well and suffers no loss in quality when recycled.

Bamboo

Bamboo grows exceptionally fast and can be grown without pesticides and with virtually no impact on the surrounding environment. Each plant regenerates on its own with no replanting needed and can reach full maturity in four years. Some species of bamboo can grow 47 inches in a day and only needs a few raindrops of water to do so. Bamboo protects the air we breathe. It releases 35% more oxygen than equivalent stands of trees.

Biodegradable

A “biodegradable” product has the ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means, into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment.

Carbon Footprint

The carbon footprint measures [the] demand on bio-capacity that results from burning fossil fuels in terms of the amount of forest area required [to] sequester these carbon dioxide emissions.

Carbon Offsetting

Offsetting the amount of carbon emissions (co2) produced in manufacturing, production, transportation, energy, food, etc. with the planting of trees or other carbon reduction methods.

Chlorine Free

Chlorine-free paper is an environmentally preferable alternative to paper bleached with chlorine. Chlorine and its derivatives (such as chlorine dioxide)—the most common bleaching agents used by the pulp and paper industry—are quite harmful to the environment, particularly the aquatic environment.

Compostable

Similar to biodegradable, compostable products can be disposed of in nature. Composting is the act of (either small-scale organically or in a large industrial system) helping organic matters decompose. Compost can then be used in landscaping and agriculture as a fertilizer.

Crank-Charging Electronics

Using old-fashioned kinetic energy and a tiny energy cell, some products can be recharged by repeatedly turning a lever. Increasingly common are crank-charging flashlights. other popular crank-charge items are radios and battery chargers.

Discharge Printing

Discharge printing is a process by which the colored dyes in the fabric are essentially replaced by the pigment in the ink, thus allowing the printing of a much-reduced ink layer. Printing in this way also means there is no need for a white under base, as used in plastisol (PVC) printing. This combination of factors results in much softer prints. However, for the discharge process to work, the fabric must be 100% cotton and dyed using reactive dyes.

Eco-Carbon

Eco-carbon is made from renewable resources such as coconut shells and bamboo shoots. Eco-carbon is great for athletic apparel for it not only helps wick away moisture but is ‘odorless’ and repels odors.

Eco Spun

A textile product using PET (recyclable plastic bottles) and processed to create fibers to be knitted or woven into fabric.

Energy Efficient

The most efficient products require the least energy to generate the most output. For example, compact fluorescent light bulbs use far less energy than typical incandescent lights while producing the same brightness; therefore they are more energy-efficient. Engineers compute energy efficiency using a ratio, written as a decimal between 0 and 1. The closer a method’s ratio is to 1, the more efficient it is.

Environmental Aspect

The cause on the environment by the action of the company’s activities. i.e. the extraction of raw materials, power, disposal of waste, etc.

Environmental Impact

Environmental impact is to consider the potential of all things affecting the environment. i.e. the use of air, water, waste, energy usage, etc.

EVA Lining

Biodegradable will not contaminate surrounding soil or groundwater. Traditional bags come lined with a raw material (PVC) which is oil-based and constructed of heavy metals and non-biodegradable products.

FSC

Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests are managed to ensure long-term timber supplies while protecting the environment and the lives of forest-dependent peoples.

Fair-Trade

Producer organizations that supply fair-trade products are inspected and certified by FLO (Fair-trade Labeling Organizations International) and receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production, together with an extra premium that is invested in social or economic development projects. By buying directly from farmers at better prices, helping to strengthen their organizations, and marketing their produce directly; consumers have the opportunity to buy products, which were bought on the basis of making a fair trade.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are the remains of plant and animal life that are used to provide energy by combustion; coal, oil, and natural gas.

Glass

Most commercial glass is made from a molten mixture of soda ash, sand, and lime. An excellent material for re-using and recycling. The recycling process can be repeated endlessly without any loss of quality.

Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are those that contribute to the ‘greenhouse effect’, trapping heat from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas, but there are a number of others including methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20).

Greenwashing

Greenwashing refers to companies that market their products and services as environmentally friendly when they are, in fact, not.

HDPE

High-Density Polyethylene is a type of plastic that is commonly used in milk cartons.

Hemp

Originating in the Orient, it comes from the stem of plants. There are no pesticides used when growing hemp and it grows in clusters of up to 300 plants per square yard. Hemp can be cultivated in as few as 100 days. Hemp seeds are very nutritious and contain essential amino and fatty acids.

Jute

Jute is a completely biodegradable fiber. Though it’s found most in materials like burlap, innovations with jute have made it possible to use it to construct a silk-like material. Jute is abundant in Southeast Asia and is inexpensive to produce.

Organic Cotton

A typical conventional cotton t-shirt uses about 150 grams of acutely toxic pesticides and insecticides; that’s the size of a cup of sugar (source: Soil Association). Organic cotton is manufactured from organically grown cotton plants. No chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used to grow it, and the final cloth is unbleached and dyed with natural plant dyes.

PET

Polyethylene Terapthelate was invented in 1993 by Patagonia® founder Yvonne Chounard; as their Synchilla® fabric. Plastic bottles that are made into recycled polyester, the bottles are separated by color, sterilized, and then crushed, chopped, and melted. The melted plastic is extruded through a shower-head type device, producing fibrous polyester strands. those strands are woven into eco P.E.T. tech-fleece, along with many other products, even in place of plastics.

PVC

The environmental issues related to polyvinyl chloride are numerous, they relate to the manufacturing process, the additives used with the plastic, and the final disposal.

Plastisol Print

In textile printing, plastisol is the carrier for the resin and pigment. They are essentially a non-volatile equivalent to the solvent in solvent-based inks and paints.

Plastisol Printing

Plastisol ink contains phthalates, which are claimed to be endocrine disruptors. These are chemicals that have been linked with generating either sex changes or unbalanced levels of certain sexes within the marine environment. Phthalates, when ingested into the body, are under investigation as they could potentially be harmful. There is now more awareness of these issues along with this are large corporations who have set environmental objectives which include the removal of PVC and phthalates from all of their products, packaging, stores, etc. There is great pressure on many printers to produce products free from these chemicals. Producers have recognized this need and developed a new plastisol ink, which is both PVC and phthalate-free. The introduction of this new ink ensures that printers are able to offer a solution where such environmental concerns are an important issue for their customers.

Post-Consumer Waste

Post-consumer waste is collected through commercial and household recycling programs and recycled content could include both post-consumer waste and post-industrial waste.

Post-Industrial Waste

Post-industrial waste (or pre-consumer waste) is produced during the manufacturing process, for instance, paper off-cuts from printing processes or fabric scraps from the manufacturing of apparel.

Recyclable

The term “recyclable” on products is misleading - used to designate that a product or its package can be recycled. Anything can in theory be recycled. If you are looking to do the right thing for the environment, you should be choosing items that are made from recycled material.

Recycled

The reprocessing of a waste product into a new product (often taking the place of virgin material), and then bought back by the consumer as a new item. Paper, cards, tires, plastic, CDs, glass, aluminum, etc. are all products that can be recycled; however, some loss of quality affects application in the number of times materials may be recycled.

Recycled Blue Jeans

Eliminates using virgin materials. The main use of recycled denim is home insulation. Recycled denim is a much better alternative to standard insulation because it does not irritate the skin; it has maximum thermal performance and is non-toxic.

Recycled Leather

Products made from this material are surprisingly controversial. Intuitively, making products from already-used leather reduces the need to slaughter animals for more. Hard-line opponents of leather, however, say that the popularity of recycled leather material will only increase overall demand for the product and will lead to more unethical treatment of animals.

Recycled Polystyrene

Eliminates using virgin materials. Styrofoam can be re-used as packaging materials or condensed to make products such as lawn furniture.

Renewable Resources

A natural resource qualifies as renewable if it is naturally replenished at least as fast as it is consumed, such as oxygen and freshwater. However, they can become non-renewable if used faster than the environment can replenish them. Also included in the category are products such as paper and leather.

Reuse

To find a new function for an item that has outgrown its original use, to use again for waste saving.

RoHS

RoHS is short for Restriction of use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The following substances are considered to be hazardous: 1) Lead (Pb); 2) Mercury (Hg); 3) Cadmium (Cd); 4) Chromium (CR/VI); 5) Polybrominated Diphenyl (PBB); 6) Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE); all substances mentioned except Cadmium (Cd) are not allowed to exceed a 0.1% presence in each component. Cadmium (Cd) is not allowed to exceed 0.01% in each component.

Social Responsibility

In all its operations and activities with the aim of achieving sustainable development, not only in the economical dimension but also in the social and environmental dimensions.

Soy

Soy is made from manufacturing tofu waste and is the only protein-based botanical fiber. Soy is often used in conjunction with bamboo or hemp to create a nice [hand] for the garment.

Sustainable Development

A process of development (land, cities, business, communities, etc.) that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” according to the Brundtland Report, a 1987 report from the United Nations. One of the factors it must overcome is environmental degradation, but it must do so while not forgoing the needs of economic development, as well as social equity and justice.

Synthetic Polar Fleece

A light and soft wool alternative made from spun polyester and can be produced entirely from recycled plastic soda bottles.

Unbleached

Unbleached cotton is ecru color and better for the environment than bleached or dyed cotton. Unbleached paper may not attain the same high white finish as that of bleached paper but is good for general use; however, buying recycled paper could even be seen as more important than recycling used paper because demand for recycled paper in the U.K. currently lags behind supply!

Vegetable Based Inks

Using vegetable oil, rather than petroleum solvents, as the vehicle for carrying pigment. Vegetable ink colors tend to be more vibrant than petroleum-based inks but may take longer to dry.

Waste Neutral

When a greater weight of products made from recycled materials is the same or greater than the weight of materials sent to be recycled, waste neutrality will be achieved.