IN A FIRST for the Hervey Bay region, 150 senior school students from Hervey Bay High are wearing jumpers with a difference this year. Each jumper is made from 38 recycled plastic bottles.
This ground-breaking initiative continues the school’s quest for a focus on the environment.
Samantha White, Student and Event Support at Hervey Bay State High School, was excited by the ambitious project.
“Our values around environmentally sustainable and socially responsible practices align with our commitment to a greener future.”
“Plastics are one of the most versatile materials that we make use of. They are all around us, whether at home, at work, when we go shopping or even when we’re on holiday. However, the prevalence of plastics also means that we have large amounts to dispose of.”
“The new jumpers have been a big hit with the senior cohort. The students must reach certain eligibility criteria to qualify for a jumper.”
“We pride ourselves on working with students and families to establish productive partnerships that better place our students to transition into further education or training, or directly into the workforce.”
“The plastic bottles are recycled and then broken down into pellets. The manufacturer converts this into high quality yarn and then it is woven into a high-performance garment.”
Importantly, the jumpers work in the same way that sunblock works, when you apply it to the skin. The SPF50 fabric blocks 98% of the sun’s harmful rays.
The production goes even further than that.
Compared to traditional jumper manufacturing, the Ecotek jumper uses 62% less energy and 99% less water in the production process.
There is also up to 35% less waste and upwards of 20% less C02 emitted into the atmosphere.
Due to its unique location and resources, Hervey Bay High School is able to offer a wide curriculum including marine studies, information and communication technologies, agricultural science, vocational education programs, traineeships and apprenticeships, first year university subjects through the University of the Sunshine Coast, as well as the full traditional range of subjects.
