Tips and tricks for a successful Super Recycler clothing drive event
To get the students involved
The Super Recyclers event was designed to have the students participate so that they can act concretely to care for the earth. Therefore, it is important to get them motivated and informed.
1. Talk about the school’s clothing drive in class
Teachers and school personnel will receive PDF documents about the event that can be shared with the students and placed on the school walls. Teachers, make sure the kids understand the purpose of the event by covering the 5 Ws: WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHAT & WHO. This information will also be posted on the Super Recycler’s website on a page created specifically for your school. Additional information on how to prepare for the clothing drive is available on our website and Facebook page. We also encourage you to broadcast a reminder of the event on the intercom or write it on the boards a week before the clothing drive.
2. Share the Super Recyclers’ Games
Multiple games, puzzles and colouring pages are available on our website that can be easily printed or played on a tablet. You can download them from the Super Recyclers’ Club tab on our website. For our French-speaking schools, we also propose a Slam about textiles, written by local artist LEM, that you can read with your students or use as a guide to make them write their own!
3. Get the green committee involved
If your school has a green committee, why not make them participate in sharing information about the life cycle of textiles and the event? You can ask them to read out details of the clothing drive on the school’s intercom system or go around classes to talk about it.
4. Do fun activities revolving around the theme of clothing
To get your students mentally ready for the event and open up the discussions about recycling, textile life cycles, animals and ethics, why not have fun with the theme of clothing one week before? You can have your students wear:
- pyjamas
- sports clothes
- a certain colour
- fancy day
- “upside down clothing” day
- “dress like your parents” day
- etc.
5. Show our video on how to participate in the clothing drive without using plastic bags
Our video teaches children how to use old pillowcases, jeans or sheets to donate their clothes instead of plastic bags. You can practise at school so they can reproduce it at home with their parents!
To get the community and parents mobilized
Student participation is essential for our clothing drive but we all know it won’t be as successful without all the amazing support from the parents and the community!
1. Communicate with the parents about the event
Send them an email informing them that their school is participating in a Super Recyclers clothing drive. Don’t forget to include our informative PDF file and to direct them towards our website and Facebook page. They will see that by donating their clothes, linens, shoes, etc. they participate in a social movement and help to finance a school project. It is also helpful to print posters and place them on the school doors so that the parents see them when picking up their kids.
2. Talk to your community about the clothing drive
Encourage the staff, teachers and parent committee to share the Super Recyclers’ website page about your school on their social media. Some parents may also mobilize their workplace to participate and donate clothes. Why not also contact the local newspaper and radio stations? Or even get your city involved? Some towns have electronic news billboards that can display the information about your Super Recycler event.
3. Encourage parents to clean their wardrobes with their children and donate plastic-free
Parents can prepare the plastic-free donation “bags” with their children. An informative step-by-step video on our website shows you how to turn pillowcases, jeans or sheets into a bundle. Paper bags used to collect leaves or lawn clippings can also be used.
4. Make sure parents know what they can donate and what they can’t
This information will be present on the Super Recycler information PDFs as well as in the FAQ section on our website. We accept new and used clothing for men, women and children, bedding, towels, curtains, accessories, handbags, backpacks, shoes, toys in good condition and plush toys. We do not accept carpets or pillows, or any form of garbage.
Above all else, don’t forget to have fun! See you soon.