Greening up the hobby

[Jana Lyneu]

So "going green" is a big trend lately, and some days seems to be all that anyone is talking about. It's easy to get a bit cynical when commercial after commercial tries to use it as a selling point, but keeping the planet in livable condition is a big concern for all of us stuck on it.
The doll hobby unfortunately isn't the most eco-friendly, what with the resins being pretty chemical and most dolls being shipped from halfway across the world, but there are some ways you can do your part to keep it from being quite so bad.
Post up your ways to make a difference in this thread mrgreen  

[`MaliceMizer]

I'm not the most green person, but I hate when things go to waste. In my local doll community we have a "donation box" where anything we no longer want and don't want to bother selling it goes in. Then anyone can take things out of the box. We collect clothes, shoes, eyes, wigs, and odd scraps of fabric/notions for the crafty people. There are a lot of very nice wigs, eyes, and fabric I've taken out of there.

So... Don't throw things out? Reuse and recycle!  

[Jana Lyneu]

I know my roomate and I tend to re-use shipping boxes and packing materials all the time. Waiting until you have several items you want from a company, rather than getting them a little bit at a time not only saves on cost, but shipping fuel and materials.  

[`MaliceMizer]

Oh, totally! I'm always hoarding shipping supplies. Bubblewrap, boxes, foam, you name it - I've saved it. And I've used it, too, it's not just sitting around in some giant packaging supply hoarde! sweatdrop  

[GalaxyBoi]

I think it's good to be aware of how important it is to be careful with our planet. And I try to contribute as much as I can. I separate all my waste (and honestly wish they would separate more here) so most of it can be reused.

The re-use of doll items in your community MaliceMizer I think that is really great!!
I also try to reuse the shipping material, like bubble wrap and the shipping boxes. I also try to re-use old materials to make doll clothes, but that is more a challenge to me, then it's a choice to be green. Maybe it helps though hehe.
The hobby itself isn't green at all ^_^;;;  

[Fin Raziel]

I don't know what you can do, other than reuse boxes and bubble wrap. The foam padding that comes with dolls is too large and awkward to be of any use, really, though I've always thought the ones that have doll cut-outs could make REALLY cute stencils, if someone wanted to dip them in paint and use them like that.  

[Ranas_Dragon]

Heh, perhaps considering buying second-hand dolls instead of company new ones?  

[Lady Cressida]

I take my shipping boxes, break them down, and put it the recycling bin for our weekly garbage/recycling pick up day. Since the shipping boxes are made out of cardboard, I know it's going to get pulverized to make new boxes or paper products.

I keep all my bubble wrap. You never know when you might need bubble wrap for a gift or shipping.

I take old clothing that can't be given to charity and use the salvageable parts for doll clothes.


Also there is doll companies (like Ringdoll) that uses eco friendly resin.  

[Pugnacious Banana]

i always reuse bubblewrap and put the shipping boxes in my recycling bin.
i'd like to buy more second-hand dolls but i'm kind of nervous about trusting sellers (and sometimes i really want a cool custom faceup from the company)..  

[Lady Cressida]

I reuse the bubble wrap and smaller boxes for wrapping gifts up. Larger boxes goes into the recycling bin.

I recycle old clothing for the material and notations for doll clothing to save money on buying them.

Did you know synthetic materials do not decompose such as nylon and polyester? Imagine how much clothing get dumped in the landfill each year that will be around for years to come. Natural fibres like cotton, hemp, rayon, silk decompose in a year or more for larger items.  

[iKillCaustic]

I recycle as much as possible - packing materials are all reused or recycled, and if I sew any outfits for my dolls I try to use up scraps of material from my cosplay stuff or old clothes that are too ratty to donate.  

[ghostchildiv]

I never buy new boxes when shipping, I just reinforce old ones, If I don't recycle them they just become trash