Did you know that each Australian creates about 130 kg of plastic waste each year? Shockingly, only about 12% of that gets recycled. Worse still, much of that plastic waste will end up in our waterways and the ocean. Across the world it’s estimated 130,000 tonnes of plastic enters the ocean each year. But making one simple change at home can help change this.
While we all love the feeling of clean sheets and clothes, many of us would rather skip doing laundry, especially when you have to deal with brittle and weathered clothes pegs.
While arguably the most common clothes peg option, plastic pegs aren’t really cut out for the job. They quickly deteriorate when exposed to the elements, including the sunshine you’re harnessing to dry your laundry in an eco-friendly and sustainable way! As the plastic becomes brittle, the pegs are more likely to break, leaving small shards of plastic embedded in the soil underneath your clothesline.
When it rains, these shards can then get washed away down stormwater drains and make their way out to the ocean. While you may only have a handful of pegs break each year, think about how quickly that number adds up when you consider how many houses are on your street, in your neighbourhood and in the country. If everyone lets a few broken pegs slide, the number of loose bits of plastic quickly becomes worryingly high. It’s estimated that by 2050, 99% of sea birds will have eaten plastic — which often leads to a slow and painful death. In fact, in a recent study, plastic was found in the stomachs of nearly 700 species of marine life around Australia, from small fish and turtles to whales.
The issue is that your broken plastic peg doesn’t biodegrade, but instead breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces. Therefore, come 2050, it’s believed that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! Even a study in 2019 revealed that humans are now consuming micro plastics in their food. We are eating, on average, one LEGO brick of plastic per week, which is equivalent to a dinner plate each year!
So, what about wooden clothes pegs? While they may biodegrade and pose less of a threat to our waterways and oceans, they still leave plenty wanting. It can be incredibly hard to verify where the wood to create these pegs is being sourced, and if it is being done so sustainability. This is a real concern given that these pegs are not all that more durable than plastic. In fact, wooden pegs often end up mouldy and stain your freshly cleaned laundry!
But don’t despair! There’s a way you can get clean laundry and help the environment: stainless steel clothes pegs. At IOco Gift Designers, we’re big believers in making small changes to our everyday behaviours to have a big effect on the planet. From carrying your own reusable glass water bottle with you to choosing reusable make-up wipes, these swaps are easy and can make a big difference.
When it comes to stainless steel pegs, we promise once you try them, you won’t ever want to go back to plastic or wood. Our metal pegs are simple but effectively designed, and available in three great metallic colours: silver, gold and rose gold.
Made from Grade 304 stainless steel — the same grade you’ll find in your kitchen from knives to appliances — these metal clothes pegs are strong and built to last. You won’t have to worry about them disintegrating in the sun. However, we do recommend bringing them in alongside your clean laundry. This is because while they are corrosion resistant, this extra step will help ensure they stay looking great and guarantee no rust marks on your clean clothing.
When you try our stainless steel clothes pegs, you’ll be hooked and keen to use them any way you can! In fact, because they look so stylish and they’re so durable, they can be perfect in the kitchen too. For instance, hang up your fresh herbs to dry with our stainless steel pegs, or seal those open packages to keep food from going stale. You can even use them in the office, clipping important notes somewhere highly visible, so everyone is kept in the loop!
While the immediate effects of switching to stainless steel pegs, like no more broken pegs or mould-marked clothes, are pretty great, there’s a lot more to love about your stainless steel clothes pegs.
More than a few of us have tossed our clothes in the dryer because dealing with poor-performing pegs has been too much. But with your new metal pegs, you can say goodbye to your dryer. This then has the flow-on effect of reducing your home energy usage, helping to make your home more sustainable and reducing your carbon footprint.
It won’t just be energy you’ll be saving when you buy stainless steel pegs. You’ll also save money. While a fresh batch of plastic pegs may only cost a few dollars at the supermarket, consider how often you need to buy them because they just aren’t durable. Pretty quickly, your stainless steel clothes pegs will have paid for themselves and more so! That’s one of the great things about choosing sustainable, eco-friendly products: they’re designed to last so you’re guaranteed to get your money’s worth.
All it takes for a change to get rolling is for one person to give it a go. When you switch to metal clothes pegs, you’ll be the trendsetter on your block, and you can show everyone just how great they are. Not to mention, regular sustainable and environmentally friendly habits are a great way to help raise more eco-conscious children. It sends a clear message to your kids that you value the planet and they should too. When your children see you making these conscious and positive choices, they will mimic you and look for ways to be more eco friendly in their own behaviour.
Commit to a sustainable lifestyle and a brighter future with IOco Gift Designers’ range of stainless steel clothes pegs. Get yours today in your favourite metallic colours, complete with a reusable cotton peg bag to keep them all in one place until it’s time to do the washing.
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