Fall 2014 grads going green for commencement
Photo by Megan Balser
Fall 2014 SCAD grads’ caps and gowns will be different from the regalia of the past. They have a matte finish, are soft to the touch, wrinkle resistant and very lightweight. And they’re made completely out of post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.
For the first time at SCAD, this fall’s graduation gear is provided by Oak Hall, a manufacturer of academic, judicial and religious gear based in Roanoke, Virginia. They were founded in 1889, but it wasn’t until 2009 that sustainability became a priority for the company. About 60 million plastic bottles go into landfills every day in the United States, and less than 30 percent get recycled. Oak Hall’s GreenWeaver fabric has, to date, taken about 53 million of those bottles straight out of landfills and spun them into caps and gowns for more than 7,500 high schools and colleges.
The bottles are chopped up and turned into textiles in South Carolina, then the fabric is sent to Virginia to be sewn into caps and gowns.
“It’s probably one of the most exciting processes we do,” said Paul LaRoche, a representative of Oak Hall.
The move to Oak Hall products began with an idea in January. Jody Emeott, assistant to President Paula Wallace, discovered the company while looking for better-looking and more cost-effective regalia for the dais party. The idea gained momentum after Emeott obtained sample materials and saw the competitive pricing scheme and was fully realized in August 2014. Emeott said she presented the initial idea to several SCAD vice presidents and the director of ancillary services. They approved, so the change was worked out and implemented by Emeott and Sam McCormick, the director of events.
“Oak Hall offered not only competitive pricing, they were also able to provide customized student regalia,” Emeott said of her decision in an email. “The materials and quality of execution was better than provided by the previous vendor; the hoods were more substantial and had better, brighter colors; and this product is manufactured in the USA.”
She said the recyclability of the materials was also a factor. SCAD’s association with Oak Hall is part of an effort to make the campus greener. According to the statement on Oak Hall’s ordering web page, SCAD’s goal is to “turn trash into keepsakes.”
“It’s exciting to hear that SCAD is taking even more steps to be greener,” said Shelby Chikazawa, a graduating fourth-year writing major from Lawrenceville, Georgia. “We’re from a generation who have been bombarded with information about our carbon footprint and how we can minimize it, so it’s something that’s always on my mind.”
This is the first time SCAD has used such fabric in its regalia, and Emeott said they intend to continue partnering with Oak Hall in the future. So no matter if you’re graduating this weekend or in the next few years, expect to receive caps and gowns you can toss in the recycling bin after you walk across the stage. Assuming you don’t want to keep them forever.
