Les Super Recyleurs

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Fast Fashion Explained for Parents: How to Reduce Its Impact

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Fast fashion is everywhere. New clothing collections appear every few weeks in stores and online. Children want the trendy sweater, teenagers ask for the latest brand, and parents often end up buying more clothes than necessary.

This phenomenon has a name: fast fashion.

But behind the low prices and endless choices lies a growing problem: the environmental and social impact of fast fashion.

The good news? Parents can play a powerful role in helping their families adopt more sustainable clothing habits.

What Is Fast Fashion?

Fast fashion refers to the mass production of inexpensive clothing designed to follow trends quickly.
Major clothing brands release new collections constantly to encourage consumers to buy more.

Key characteristics of fast fashion include:

  • New clothing collections every few weeks
  • Low prices that encourage frequent purchases
  • Clothing made from lower-quality materials
  • Short product life cycles

Because of this model, clothes are often worn only a few times before being discarded.

The Environmental Impact of the Fashion Industry

The global fashion industry has a major environmental footprint.

Water consumption

Producing clothing requires enormous amounts of water. For example:

  • A single pair of jeans can require up to 9,000 litres of water to produce.

Water pollution

Textile dyeing is one of the largest sources of water pollution worldwide.

Greenhouse gas emissions

The fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international aviation and shipping combined.

Microplastic pollution

Synthetic fabrics such as polyester release microplastics during every wash, which eventually enter rivers and oceans.

Fast Fashion

The Social Impact of Fast Fashion

Fast fashion also raises serious concerns about labour conditions.
Many garments are produced in countries where workers:

  • receive extremely low wages
  • work long hours and face unsafe working conditions

These issues highlight the hidden human costs behind cheap clothing.

How to Explain Fast Fashion to Children

Talking about sustainability with children can be simple.

Parents can explain that:

  • clothes travel long distances before reaching stores
  • clothing production uses water, energy, and natural resources
  • buying fewer clothes helps protect the planet

Involving children in activities such as sorting clothes or participating in clothing drives helps them understand that their choices matter.

How Families Can Reduce Fast Fashion

Adopting more sustainable clothing habits does not require drastic changes. Small actions can make a big difference.

Buy Less but Choose Better

Instead of purchasing many low-quality items, families can choose durable, higher-quality clothing.

Look for natural or sustainable materials such as:

  • organic cotton
  • linen
  • wool
  • recycled fabrics

Choose Second-Hand Clothing

Buying second-hand clothes is one of the best ways to reduce the environmental impact of fashion.

Options include:

  • thrift stores
  • clothing swaps with friends
  • online resale platforms

Today, second-hand fashion is affordable, trendy, and environmentally responsible.

Repair and Reuse Clothing

Instead of throwing clothes away:

  • sew a button back on
  • repair small tears
  • transform an old pair of jeans into a bag
  • use a worn t-shirt as pajamas

These small steps help reduce textile waste.

Donate Clothing Through Local Programs

Donating to local clothing drives is also a great option.

Programs such as Les Super Recycleurs make it possible to:

  • recycle clothing
  • support schools
  • fund community projects

It’s a tangible way to get children involved in doing something positive for the planet.

Parents Lead by Example

Children learn by watching their parents.

When families show that:

  • clothing can last for years,
  • thrift shopping is normal,
  • repairing clothing is valuable,

they teach children important lessons about responsibility and sustainability.

Toward More Sustainable Fashion

Fast fashion may dominate the market, but it does not have to dominate our choices.

Parents can make a real difference by:

  • buying fewer clothes
  • choosing higher quality items
  • supporting second-hand fashion
  • donating and recycling clothing

The next time you consider buying a cheap sweater, ask yourself one simple question:

Do I really need it?

Reducing fast fashion means protecting the environment, supporting fair labour practices, and creating a more sustainable future for our children.

Here are a few links to listen to or read about fast fashion and its impact:

The Women Behind Les Super Recycleurs

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On International Women’s Day, I wanted to take a moment to recognize all the women who have helped bring Les Super Recycleurs to life for nearly 10 years.

Les Super Recycleurs began with an idea started by a woman… me. But very quickly, I realized that this project no longer truly belonged to me. It became a movement carried by a community—and women make up a significant portion of that community.

Through the years of clothing drives, I have had the privilege of meeting hundreds of dedicated teachers, educators and school directors. In schools and childcare centres, they are often the ones who take the time to organize the drives, talk about them with students and share important values: respect for resources, solidarity and responsibility toward our planet.

I would also like to thank all the women in the families who participate in the Super Recycleurs clothing drives. The moms, grandmothers and aunts… they are the ones who take the time to sort through closets with the children, prepare the donation bundles and explain why we donate clothes instead of throwing them away.

These simple moments at home often become real life lessons. You are teaching the next generation a different way of consuming: to act, to buy less, to buy better, and to care for what we already have.

Marie-Claude Guerin, présidente des Super Recycleurs

For the past 10 years, Les Super Recycleurs have allowed me not only to support schools and childcare centres, but also to meet extraordinary women in our communities. Women who get involved, who raise awareness and who contribute, each in their way, to building a more responsible future.

Today, on International Women’s Day, I just want to say thank you.

Thank you for believing in the project.
Thank you for participating in the collections.
Thank you for teaching children that a piece of clothing can have many lives.

Les Super Recycleurs exist thanks to you.

Marie-Claude Guerin
Founder, Les Super Recycleurs

Become a Family of Super Recyclers!

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At home, clothes pile up quickly: sweaters that are too small, pants with holes, outdated outfits… We often tell ourselves it’s time to clean out the closet—but why not turn this sorting into a positive and fun family activity?

By involving both young and old, sorting and donating clothes becomes more than a chore: it’s a way to strengthen family bonds, teach children values of sharing, and protect the planet. What if your whole family became a team of Super Recyclers?

1. Sorting as a Team Game

Instead of presenting clothing sorting as a boring task, turn it into a game:

  • Take all the clothes out of the closet.
  • Start a challenge: “Who finds a piece that’s too small first?”
  • Create three piles: keep, donate, transform.

Children love to participate—especially when it becomes a shared mission.

2. Giving Means Sharing

Explain to children that donating clothes is not about getting rid of them, but about sharing with other families.

  • Show them that a sweater too small for them can keep another child warm.
  • Highlight that donations also support their school, daycare, or community organizations through Super Recycler drives.

Every bag becomes a symbol of solidarity and a real act for the community.

Become Super Recyclers

3. Thrift Stores as a Family Outing

Going to a thrift store can be an adventure!

  • Give your children a small budget and let them choose a clothing item.
  • Turn the visit into a treasure hunt: who finds the most original piece?
  • Teach them that second-hand is trendy and good for the planet.

This experience changes how children see reuse—making it normal and fun.

4. Upcycling: Creating Together

Nothing strengthens family bonds like a creative project. Here are a few simple ideas:

  • Turn a T-shirt into a reusable bag.
  • Make a sock puppet.
  • Sew a cushion using old jeans.

These activities spark creativity and allow children to proudly say: “I made it myself!”

5. Leading by Example Every Day

Children learn by watching their parents. Show them that:

  • You wear your clothes for a long time.
  • You repair instead of throwing away.
  • You choose quality or second-hand clothing.

By becoming a Super Recycler yourself, you inspire your children to follow your lead.

6. Create a Family Mission Board

To motivate everyone, set up a Super Recycler mission board:

  • Mission 1: Sort clothes that are too small.
  • Mission 2: Donate a full bag at a collection.
  • Mission 3: Repair a garment together.
  • Mission 4: Create something from recycled fabric.

Each completed mission can earn a star, sticker, or special family activity.

Becoming Super Recyclers as a family is not just about recycling clothes. It’s about:

  • learning to work together,
  • passing on values of sharing and respect,
  • protecting the planet, and
  • supporting your community.

By involving your children in these everyday actions, you show them that anyone can be a textile hero.

Ready to put on your Super Recycler cape and bring the whole family along for the adventure?

Tips for Giving Your Clothes a New Lease on Life

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We all have a pile of unused clothes that we tuck away at the back of a drawer or wardrobe. What should we do with items that don’t fit, are out of fashion, damaged, or stained? Too often, our first instinct is to throw them away. However, every item of clothing can have a new lease on life instead of ending up in a landfill!

Here are 8 simple and creative tips to extend the life of your clothes at home, reduce waste, and become a family of Super Recyclers!

1. Repair before throwing away

The first step is often the simplest, yet fewer and fewer people think about it.

A missing button, a small tear, or a stuck zipper doesn’t mean the garment is ruined. With a needle, thread, and a little patience, you can bring your favourite garment back to life.

It’s also a great activity to teach children: repairing things develops creativity and a sense of accomplishment. Your parents may not have taught you how to sew, but it’s never too late to learn a new skill! There are many tutorials on YouTube, so check them out.

2. Organize a clothing swap

Before donating your clothes or accessories to a charity, why not share them with your friends and family? The best way to do this is to organize a clothing swap where everyone brings items to share. You may be surprised to find some beautiful clothes in your size.

You can organize this exchange with friends, neighbours, parents from the same school, your book club, your sports team, your cousins, etc.

If you enjoy this activity, make it an annual or seasonal tradition. Put on some good music, make yourself something to eat, turn it into a game—there are many ways to organize a clothing swap. You just have to find the one that works for you. It’s economical, fun, and eco-friendly.

3. Customize your clothes

Instead of buying new clothes, give them a little upgrade.

For example, you can:

  • Add colourful emblems
  • Embroider a simple pattern.
  • Use natural dyes (beetroot, turmeric, and blueberries) to give them a new look.
  • Draw on your shoes with fabric markers or change the colour of your shoelaces.
  • And much more! Your clothes will become unique and bursting with personality.

4. Turn them into cleaning rags

Worn cotton sweaters make excellent cleaning rags. Instead of buying disposable paper towels, cut your worn-out clothes into squares. Don’t forget to sew the edges to prevent fraying. You’ll save money while reducing your waste.

5. Treat your dolls and stuffed animals

Clothes that are too small can be used to dress dolls and stuffed animals, or even to make miniature accessories. It’s a fun way for children to understand that nothing goes to waste.

6. Create useful objects

If your garment cannot be repaired, it’s time to give it a new purpose. A sweater can become a bag, pants can become a Christmas stocking, a tablecloth can become a dress, etc.

There are DIY projects for all skill levels. For example, did you know that you can turn a T-shirt into a bag without sewing?

  • Cut off the sleeves and neckline.
  • Tie the bottom.
  • There you go! You now have the perfect bag for groceries, toys, or gym clothes.
  • Bonus: decorate it with fabric markers.

7. Donate to community clothing drives and organizations

When clothes are in good condition, they can make a difference in the life of another family. School drives such as those organized by the Super Recyclers, as well as thrift stores and neighbourhood organizations, ensure that your clothing is reused or recycled. Every bag donated is a concrete act for the environment and the community.

8. Teach children the value of clothing

This suggestion is the last one, but it is the most important. It is important to understand that clothing is a resource that requires a lot of water, energy, and time to produce.

Involving your children in sorting and transforming clothes is essential. It teaches them to:

  • respect their belongings,
  • understand the environmental impact of their wardrobe,
  • become agents of change for the planet.

A child who learns to say, “I’m going to give away this sweater that’s too small,” becomes a Super Recycler in the making.

By following these tips, you will reduce your waste, save money, and above all, set an example for your children, neighbours, friends, and community.

Every piece of clothing has a story, and that story shouldn’t end so quickly in the trash. Together, let’s donate, repair, transform, and share. A small act repeated by thousands of families can have a huge impact on our planet and our communities.

So, what will your clothes become in their next life?

The impact of a cotton garment’s long journey

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When we buy a new item of clothing, we rarely think about the journey it has taken to get into our hands. Yet that journey involves numerous trips, the use of resources, and… the generation of waste. Did you know that in Quebec, each person throws away an average of 23 kilograms of clothing per year? That’s nearly four large garbage bags full of clothes per person!

So, what is this mysterious journey of a garment? Let’s follow the long journey of a cotton sweater, from the plant… to the landfill.

NOTE: This blog is not intended to make you feel guilty about buying new clothes. We explain the impacts here so we can present solutions in future blogs.

1. It all starts in the fields

Cotton is a plant that is grown in warm climates, such as India, China, the United States, Pakistan, etc.

This fiber offers many benefits compared to synthetic fibers; it allows for better ventilation of the skin, has a longer life expectancy, is more recyclable, and, when organic, does not contain endocrine disruptors. Its biggest drawback: growing cotton requires a lot of water and pesticides. For example, it takes about 9,000 liters of water to make a single pair of jeans, which is equivalent to 285 showers.

2. Manufacturing: from fiber to garment

After the fields, the cotton travels to the factory.

Once harvested, the cotton is spun into yarn and then woven into fabric. These fabrics are then dyed, cut, and assembled to create beautiful garments.

Who doesn’t love colorful clothes? A rainbow wardrobe to match the seasons makes you happy, right? It does for me, but I’m still aware of the impact of this choice, which is why I opt for secondhand clothes.

Cotton is a naturally white fiber. Several chemicals are used to change its color. These chemicals are highly toxic and can cause damage to workers’ health in addition to polluting local rivers.

3. The great journey around the world

Our clothes travel a lot. If they had passports, they would be well stamped!

For example, for a T-shirt:

  • Cotton may be grown in India,
  • filé et tissé en Chine,
  • dyed in a different city in China,
  • sewn in Bangladesh,
  • shipped to a warehouse in the United States,
  • and then sent to the store where you will find it in Canada.

Before even arriving in stores, this sweater may have traveled thousands of miles by boat, truck, or plane! Each trip releases greenhouse gases. It’s important to be aware of this when buying new clothing.

4. Life with us: wearing, washing, wearing out

Once purchased, the garment begins its life at home. If our garment is lucky, we wear it, wash it, wear it, wash it… until it is too worn, too small, or stained. For the less fortunate garments, we forget about them in our closets or dressers—oops!

You may notice that clothes that are washed more often wear out faster. To avoid throwing away clothes frequently, try wearing them several times before washing them. This will reduce both the water and electricity consumption needed to clean them while extending their life.

5. End of life: trash or new opportunity?

What should you do with your clothes once you no longer wear them? In most Western countries, these clothes are thrown away.

In Quebec, 95,000 tons of textiles are sent to landfills every year. Canada produces 2% of the world’s textile waste.. Your clothes don’t have to suffer the same fate. There are much better places for them to end up than in the trash.

Other options are:

  • Donate your clothes to the Super Recyclers, thrift stores, or organizations.
  • Repurpose your clothes by creating something new (bag, toy, puppet).

We will be sharing tips on how to revamp your clothes in an upcoming blog post.

Reinventing the garment’s journey

The long journey of a garment is impressive… It’s a shame that after all this adventure, our clothes spend most of their lives in the trash. We buy them, wear them for a short time, and then throw them away.

We have a key role to play in ensuring the well-being of the planet and future generations:

  • Give clothes a new lease on life
  • Buy less, but buy better
  • Raise awareness in our community about the importance of taking care of your clothes.

Each piece of clothing is more than just a piece of fabric: it is a precious resource, the result of the work of many people and a long list of significant impacts on our planet.

Together, let’s make sure that the journey of our clothes doesn’t end in the trash, but continues through recycling, donation, and upcycling.

Significant changes to collection operations

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Due to a return to near-normalcy and increased travel costs, we had to make a decision that addressed both the growing number of participating schools while also minimizing fuel costs. We will no longer be making round trips on the same day. You must choose to collect in the morning or in the afternoon.

The schedule for the 2022-23 school year will be as follows:

  • 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.: driver and truck on site
  • 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: driver and truck on site
  • Saturday or Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: driver and truck on site
  • All day only at our participating schools picking up more than 800 kg

 

Picking up toys

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Organizational change for the new school year 2022-23

The Super Recyclers had to make the decision about the toys we receive during the Clothing drive because of a higher quantity of toy donations over the past two years, which results in a heavy workload for sorting.

More than 60% of the toys received are unfortunately sent for recycling or garbage because they are too worn or missing parts. What child would like to receive a toy with missing pieces? And no foundation wants to receive a game that has changed colour or a bicycle that is rusty or has flat tires. We’ve also found that most board and puzzle games are missing a piece or two. Tell yourself that if your child doesn’t want to play with it because it’s broken, other children won’t either!

From September 2022, we will only take COMPLETE SMALL TOYS IN GOOD CONDITION. They must be handed over and placed in bags or boxes. No farm without animals, no house without characters, no games with missing pieces. Anything incomplete or excessively worn will be removed from the weigh in.

Awards and recognition

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Did you know that the Super Recyclers were awarded recognition prizes in 2021!

Best company in the circular textile economy—Quebec 2021 recycling and waste management award conferred by BUILD as well as an excellence rating of 85% awarded by Lespagesvertes.ca

 

Eco-friendly drives. Dedicated schools.

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Social and environmental awareness is increasingly winning the hearts of young people. They want to get involved and make a difference. That’s why Marc Michel, who is in charge of community involvement at the Académie des Sacrés-Cœurs, and Violette Demers, a member of the Green Committee, explained to TVRS why they are participating in the Super Recyclers’ fundraising drive. Proceeds from the drive will be donated to Minta, a local organization. To listen to the interview, please follow this link.

Why are more and more students and schools participating in a Super Recyclers fundraising drive? Recent studies indicate that every year in Quebec, we consume 343,000 tons of new textile products and generate the equivalent of 170,000 tons of textile waste, 124,000 of which are landfilled or burned rather than reused or recycled. In a city like Montreal, where more than 100,000 tons of textile waste are generated each year, the transition to a circular economy must imperatively include recycling*.  The photo on the right shows what the average 23 kg thrown away per Quebecer per year looks like!!!

*Source: https://vestechpro.com/en/

A poetic and educational gift for your students

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We are offering you a poem specially written by wordsmith and spoken word artist, LEM. Winner of the Festival international de slam/poésie en Acadie, she has written and recorded a new slam about recycling and the environment for us.

LEM, auteure et artiste de la parole

You can savor her artist’s touch by following this link https://superrecycleurs.com/#

Spread the word with your teachers. Read the slam and discuss it with your students by downloading it via the Super Recyclers Club or by clicking here (in French only).

Our mandate is also to educate youth and families to take care of the planet. Take advantage of Earth Day to read the Super Recyclers Slam with them.

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