BASI Leads The Way

Pass by any hotel dumpster after a convention or trade show and take a peek inside. I think you will be surprised at what you find.

At first glance, you will see an array of flyers, nametags, cardboard displays, and hundreds of fast food containers. If you take a closer look you will discover the disturbing truth.
Many of the freebies offered at trade shows are jettisoned before they even make it to a suitcase for the trip home. Hats, mugs, tote bags, bracelets, buttons, bumper stickers, lanyards, calendars, and key rings, are sadly, suddenly, garbage.

Almost 20 years ago Theo Botha (our licensee in South Africa), worked and studied here at BASI HQ in California. One day she was asked what she thought “defined” an American. She pondered the question for a moment and then blurted out an unexpected answer, but one that is an indictment of our society. “Stuff!” she shouted. We all laughed, of course, but realized it was an astute observation!

We have become a nation of disposables. Our food containers and our plastic bags and bottles, our cheap household items, and even our clothing, shoes, and bags.

Fast fashion has changed the way the world shops and has accelerated the rate at which we discard. Rather than purchasing high-quality wardrobe staples that last for years, we tend to buy cheap clothing and toss it out as soon as it loses its luster. That can happen pretty quickly when we pay $2.00 for a shirt. It will shrink and stretch and stain and end up in the landfill in a matter of weeks.

Here are some startling statistics.

The Yale Center for Industrial Ecology estimates that the United States dumps 254 million tons of trash into landfills annually.
In terms of textile waste, (according to the Council for Textile Recycling), the United States generates 16 million tons of textiles per year. Of that, 13.1 million tons ends up in a landfill. According to the EPA, the average American throws away 65 pounds of textiles every year and nearly 48% of this is perfectly reusable.

We have all seen the documentaries and the news reports. Plastic is floating in our oceans and climate change is ravaging the planet.
Many are wondering what they can do to reverse this devastating trend. BASI hopes to lead the way.

BASI has always been an industry leader and an innovative force in the Pilates world. We want to meet this new challenge head-on, and urge others to follow.
We vow to produce logo items that are of high quality. If you receive a promotional item that you will not use, simply return it to us – please do not discard. Refusal is the first line of defense in fighting the battle of waste.

BASI will pledge to only sell high-quality garments in our studio and at our trade shows. This may mean a slightly higher price, but you will be purchasing an item that can be worn again and again.

Once a garment’s lifespan is over, anything 100% cotton (or any 100% fiber content for that matter) is much easier to reconstitute and recycle. Poly-blends are almost impossible to separate and break down for recycling and clothing made of chemicals and plastics take thousands of years to decompose.

For that reason, we promise to phase out most poly-blend merchandise by the end of the year. We do realize that many “performance fabrics” must contain a certain percentage of Lycra or Spandex in order to move with the body. We just urge our customers to shop responsibly. Love it, wear it, and repurpose it at the end of its lifespan.

We will only sell or give away high-quality water bottles, keeping plastic bottles out of our oceans.

We will only sell or give away large eco-friendly tote bags, which can be repurposed as grocery bags.

We promise to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. We hope you will do the same. Be mindful of the industries you choose to support. Make thoughtful and informed choices. Try to shop eco-friendly and sustainable. Buy local. Provide your own shopping bags. Avoid plastic. Inspire others.

Lead the way.

To learn more….

Documentary
The True Cost by Andrew Morgan

Books
To Die For by Lucy Siegle
Over-Dressed by Elizabeth L. Cline
Wear No Evil by Greta Eagan
Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson
Simple Matters by Erin Boyle
New Minimalism by Fortin Quilici

Source: From the BASI Gazette – Issue 04