Daily Greenz #134

Fashion giant Banana Republic has finally gone green.  They’re launching their eco-collection of 50 stylish pieces to coincide with Earth Day and will be donating 1% of all in-store sales from April 22nd to 27th to Trust for Public Lands.  Their eco-pieces, which are identified by a green elephant icon, are made from a mix of sustainable materials, such as bamboo, organic cotton, and linen.  They’re also making efforts to green all their packaging by using recycled material whenever possible (their shoe boxes and price tags contain at least 50% recycled material) and switching store lighting to energy-efficient halogen bulbs to reduce carbon emissions.

They’re not stopping there.  Having partnered up with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders program, they’re serious about doing their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 11% by the end of the year.  In addition to the lighting switch, they’re also incorporating temperature control and other energy-saving practices in their stores – changes which have already resulted in an overall energy savings of 41% this year.  Their stores are getting an attractive makeover, too, with floors made of certified wood from sustainable forests and restroom tiles made of 15% recycled material.

So the next time you see a Banana Republic billboard, don’t turn your nose up at it.  They’re also being recycled and re-used as roofing material for homes.  While they still have a ways to go before they can be considered bona fide green, we still want to tip our hats to them for taking a step in the right direction.  Check out their new collection at www.bananarepublic.com.

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