Graduation gowns are going green

Associated Press

DURHAM, N.H.

College seniors across the country are getting ready to toss their caps in the air and their gowns into recycling bins.

For years, eco-conscious campuses have tried to reduce the environmental impact of commencement ceremonies by using less electricity or printing programs on recycled paper.

Now, academic apparel manufacturers are jumping in with “green” options, ranging from disposable gowns that decompose quickly in soil to gowns made of recycled plastic bottles that can be reused or recycled.

The new products are an alternative to the petroleum-based polyester gowns millions of graduates buy each year then throw away or stuff in their closets. Manufacturers say the new gowns are a bit softer and more breathable than the traditional gowns, but otherwise are indistinguishable.

“It feels a bit thinner which actually would be good for spring commencements because it’s going to be hot outside,” said Abbie Tumbleson, a senior at Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire. “It doesn’t look cheaply made.”

At Oak Hall Cap and Gown in Virginia, officials settled on fabric made from recycled plastic after samples made from sustainable bamboo failed to impress customer-service reps who wore them for a day.

About 100 schools ordered the new gowns this spring, compared with about 1,500 who stayed with the polyester, Hodges said.

University Cap and Gown in Lawrence, Mass., also is offering recycled-bottle gowns this year.

Company president Duane Fox said his company was ahead of the curve when it began using biodegradable detergents to clean its rental gowns years ago.

In designing the new gowns, the company focused on finding a fabric that could withstand multiple wearings, said Fox, who estimates that about 7 percent of his customers ordered the new gowns, including the University of New Hampshire and Colby College in Maine.