ZWC 2014 – Boardroom Clothing Embraces Eco-Friendly Approach

 

Mark Trotzuk’s company, Boardroom Custom Clothing, had been in the promotional clothing and uniform business for ten years when his daughter was born. That life-changing event transformed him… and the company. 

In an interview with Terra20, he recalls how his daughter’s birth gave him a new perspective.

“I realized that without clean water and clean air, the ecology of the system which provides me with this business opportunity would cease to exist,” Mr. Trotzuk says. “More importantly, if I don’t take responsibility, it jeopardizes the health and safety of all the people on this planet, which includes my family, friends, employees, customers and myself.” 

Trotzuk decided to take Boardroom into uncharted territory, as a trailblazing apparel company – embracing environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, establishing systems to reduce waste, and taking back its own products to prevent them from ending up in landfills.

Today Boardroom Eco-Apparel continues to make promotional clothing and uniforms, but goes a step further at every stage in a garment’s life-cycle. Mark was one of the presenters during our Textiles in Focus sessions of the 2014 Zero Waste Conference and gave an inspiring presentation that explained:

• Why so much promotional clothing ends up in landfills
• How his company reclaims and reused corporate uniforms
• Why polyester is the material of choice for items such as fast food industry uniforms
• The impact consumer care has on the overall environmental impact of clothing
• Why corporate branding is a challenge in clothing reuse and recycling
• The steps Eco-Apparel has taken to be environmentally-friendly in a traditionally wasteful industry
• How they use QR codes to educate their customers
• Why his approach is working.

The 2014 Zero Waste Conference videos are an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to learn about the potential and challenges of doing business in the circular economy. Make sure you don’t miss a post as we look forward to the 2015 edition. Subscribe at the top right corner of the page so you’re up to date as we announce the speakers and topics for this year’s conference.