Parkers Eliminates Plastic- The Newest Way to Go Green in Toronto

Added at 5:04pm, Monday April 12th 2010

Toronto, Ontario – Parkers Custom Clothing Care is offering yet another opportunity for customers to be eco-friendly, with their new reusable shirt bag program. Parkers is proud to announce that they have just replaced their plastic folded shirt bags with a reusable fabric version as part of their multi-phase plan to become increasingly environmentally friendly and raise consumer awareness in Toronto.

Although Parkers was recycling the plastic bags previously used, they recently decided to eliminate this option completely and remove as much packaging as possible. Now, when a customer brings in folded shirts they will have their clean, hand-finished items returned in a Parkers’ signature blue reusable cloth bag.

Customers are also encouraged to bring back their dirty shirts in the same bags. Every time a bag is returned, it is cleaned prior to being reused for the clean shirts. By testing the bags, Parkers has found that each will withstand approximately 10 washes. Since implementing this new program, they have reduced their material costs and waste significantly.

These reusable bags are popping up everywhere, from grocery stores to drycleaners and have been created to reduce single-use plastic. To put this in perspective, it has been estimated that Canadians take home over 55 million plastic shopping bags every week. Plastic bags do not biodegrade and nearly 90% of floating marine litter is plastic. Retailers in certain countries and states are being forced to recycle plastic bags or ban them altogether. There are also incentives for companies and consumers to purchase reusable bags instead of plastic, which will soon not be a choice. Now, Parkers is making it easy for Toronto consumers to do their own part.

The ultimate goal for Parkers is to continually introduce new programs to ensure that their company and their customers become more eco-friendly. The next phase of Parkers’ plan to “green” Toronto will be announced and launched on Earth Day’s 40th anniversary on April 22nd, 2010. For more information on Parkers Custom Clothing Care, you may visit www.parkersdrycleaners.com.

Written by Ashley Bower