Graduation caps and gowns go green

USA Today : More colleges are turning to eco-friendly materials for their graduates’ caps and gowns, according to Wendy Koch for USA Today. Some students, such as Caltech’s 2011 graduating class , wore GreenWeaver gowns made from recycled plastic bottles. More than 250 institutions ordered the attire this year from Virginia-based Oak Hall Cap and Gown, up from 60 in 2010, said vice president Donna Hodges. Another company, Minneapolis-based Jostens, makes gowns from wood fiber from sustainably harvested North American forests. Omaha-based Willsie Cap and Gown sells a GreenGown made of the same resin used in plastic bottles and reuses the fabric if it’s returned; sales are up 300% from a year ago, says the company’s Steve Killen. Unfortunately, the green gowns can cost more than the traditional polyester ones. And because graduation gowns usually do not get reused (students are usually required to purchase them), some students have suggested a gown swap, which would make the gowns greener yet.