Noelle e-mailed asking if I had any ideas on recycling old bras. First, I told her she could hang oranges in them in her kitchen window instead of using one of those wire basket thingys. Then I suggested making it into a sling shot (I’m so helpful, aren’t I?). Now, I’m done being silly and immature about it (for now) and I’ve found some actual ways to recycle your old bras.
I found a lot of helpful hints in the comments on this post (and discovered that I’m not the only one to think of fruit baskets and slingshots as uses).
- Make a bra purse to promote breast cancer awareness.
- Use them to support fruit and tomatoes growing in your garden so they don’t break off before ripening.
- Donate bras that aren’t totally shot to your local women’s shelter (many women show up with absolutely nothing).
Craft Chi has instructions on making a bra wristlet and a bra eye mask.
If you can’t use your current bras because you’re nursing, Jan Andrea has instructions on turning regular bras into nursing bras.
eHow has a bunch of suggestions, including making an iPod holder, patching ripped clothes, or making a scented drawer sachet out of the cup material.
If you’re in the UK, there’s an organization called BreastTalk Bra Appeal that distributes bras to women in need and makes quilts out of the fabric from bras that are no longer wearable, and Style Dash says Oxfam recycles bras, too.
In Cincinnati, Cincy Chic held an event called Bras with Flair on the Square using donated decorated bras to raise awareness for breast cancer. Contact your local branch of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Gilda’s Club, American Cancer Society, or even your local cancer or women’s health center to see if they’re planning a similar event.
If you buy sports bras from Patagonia, they will take them back through their Common Threads Recycling program.
I called Victoria’s Secret to see if they have a bra take back program as well. They do not. The woman on the phone acted like I was insane and said, “A what?” If you feel like making a statement on this, give them a call at 1-800-411-5116, or send them an e-mail at Service@VictoriasSecret.com
Of course, the next time you buy a bra, you can always get one that turns into a handy shopping bag. So when you’re stranded at the grocery check out, you can just take your bra off (of course, when it gets too stretched out to hold the girls, I don’t know how well it will hold real melons either). Are you thinking, What the heck are you talking about, Allie? This. I am talking about this.
My old bra is totally going to be turned into a water balloon slingshot. J had better watch out the next time he’s mowing the lawn.
Thanks, Noelle!
Hey Allie,
Do you know anything about the raw food movement? I don’t know much, but I’ve been mulling on the idea that less cooked foods are better for you, and I’m curious if pressure cooking is like cooking something to the extreme, or really not much different than steaming, nutrition-wise.
Cheers!
I do have some friends who are really into raw food. I’ve also read the opposite - that the body can better digest cooked veggies because the cell walls have broken down more for easy absorption, but for the most part, my information is hearsay, and I don’t have the hard facts on it yet. I think a mix of raw and cooked foods are probably the way to go — don’t be afraid to eat your green beans raw, but don’t stress about baking a sweet potato. According to Miss Vickie, pressure cooking helps retain nutrients — http://missvickie.com/library/benefits.html
Crazy. I never thought about a pressure cooker. I don’t have one, but it might be worth investing in.
It’s so funny that you posted this… I work with an Indian man and we talk about cooking a lot (he’s a vegetarian too). I told him I love Indian food but that it is intimidating to make.
He’s been recommending recipes left and right but said I must get a pressure cooker! I never knew what one was before!!
[...] Looking for a fast, energy efficient way to cook dinner? Get a pressure cooker. Cooking with a pressure cooker can save 70% in fuel usage and cooking time. You can cook a whole chicken in 20 minutes, and veggies, potatoes and rice at lightening speed. The way a pressure cooker heats food requires less water and allows food to retain more vitamins and minerals. When ever I think of pressure cookers, remember that scene from Breakfast at Tiffanys where the pressure cooker explodes and Holly and Paul are covered with rice, but today, pressure cookers have better safety valves, so you won’t have to worry about explosions. [...]