The people who work in Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions unit are seriously passionate about what they do – many of them are living and breathing waste reduction in all aspects of their lives.
Even their social soccer team isn’t exempt. Aptly named Nothing’s Wasted, the team play in the Auckland Futsal mixed league on a Wednesday night.
Nothing’s Wasted decided their kit should reflect the zero-waste ethos of the Waste Solutions unit. The decision took them on a journey of unexpected finds and surprising creativity.
A fantastic find
Team member and rubbish-free champion Daniel Lasei found a box of brand new T-shirts on the tipping floor at Waitakere Transfer Station.
“There was nothing wrong with them except they promoted a retail outlet that no longer existed – so someone had just chucked them away,” he says.
Seizing on the opportunity, the team approached Inspired Clothing to rework the t-shirts.
Giving back by reducing waste
Inspired Clothing is a social enterprise run by volunteers who transform unwanted uniforms, materials and fabrics into children's garments and accessories.
Nadja Bahnikova, a pattern maker and designer who volunteers for the group, re-sewed the plus-size shirts to remove the old logo and provide a range of sizes for Nothing’s Wasted team members.
Her motivation? Giving back.
“There is so much wastage in the fashion industry – things are thrown away because the colour has faded, or there are overseas samples that can’t be sold," she says.
"It’s good to find a purpose for items that are destined for the landfill."
True to the zero-waste philosphy, Nadja also used leftover fabric to make individual T-shirt carry bags for the team.
The rest of the material has been repurposed as ties for staked tomatoes.
The finished product
The T-shirts were then screen-printed with the team’s name and mantra: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
“I can’t believe how much has gone into making these T-shirts happen – particularly the incredibly skilful work done by the lovely people at Inspired Clothing. We simply can’t thank them enough,” says Daniel.
Want more?
The Recycle Shop at Waitakere Transfer Station has items for sale that have been diverted from landfill. These include lawnmowers, bicycles, furniture, sporting equipment, demolition materials and timber, and bric a brac.
