Sound Shore

Is it me or do we seem to have turned a corner with the reusable-shopping-bag trend? It looks like the bring-your-own-bag habit is becoming second nature at the grocery store. Anyway, the next ecological frontier may be the dry cleaners.

Behold the Green Garmento:

Seth Friedman gave me a demo of the garment bag he’s been selling to customers at Rye Ridge Cleaners in Rye Brook. It doubles as a laundry bag that can be used to line a hamper. Friedman and his wife, Robin, got their first shipment in January ‘09 and sold about 250 at $9 apiece, or two for $15. The change has saved them about 875 pounds of plastic, or 35 rolls, over the last year. Plastic garment bags (below) cost the business 5 cents apiece, or $35 a roll, so the reusable bags are good for business, too.

Customer Barbara Raho said she was glad to adopt the eco-friendly habit, and that  plastic wasn’t good for clothing anyway. (Plastic doesn’t allow air to circulate and can trap moisture in your clothes, Friedman explained.)

Let us know if you’re dry cleaners has joined the trend.

By the way, Friedman’s customers are invited to assist another little venture. Using a grant she received while studying at Princeton, Friedman’s daughter created a community library in Mbale, Uganda. A CD available at the store helps generate donations to support the project and stock the library with books. This web site has the details, along with this blog.