The only thing better than decluttering your house of all the things you never use is finding stuff you actually need… for free. That’s the entire premise behind the Bulk House’s semi-regular Swap events. For those of you not familiar with The Bulk House, it is the center of the sustainable community in Beijing specializing in organic, low waste home products and social events like the swap that promote better sustainable living.

The swaps are completely free events and work like this. If you have things you no longer use you can bring them to The Bulk House ahead of time or during the actual swap meet, and they will sort them into categories, then on the day of the swap you can show up and rifle through the piles and boxes of second-hand goods for your own personal treasures to take home. No money ever changes hands and if you didn’t donate anything you can still come and collect any items you may need.

So what kind of stuff ends up in the piles? Just for fun, the other editors sent me on a scavenger hunt to the most recent swap. They asked me to find 8 items.

Pair of Shoes: Success! There were so so many but I went ahead and took this brand new pair of teeny tiny baby shoes for my friend!

Decorative Pillow: Half a point. No actual pillows but I found a T-shirt with a cool design that could easily be turned into a pillow cover to refresh my Ikea throws. (I’m probably not going to do that though. I will just wear it.)

Kids Bike: No Bike BUT my friend Tal spotted these super cool 1990s retro roller blades.

A Pot with a Lid: Success! Soup anyone?

Bowl from Annie’s: No luck on this one, sorry. I guess everyone takes advantage of their free pizza return policy!

Musical Instrument As I was arriving, I saw someone walking away with what looked like a guitar popping out of their suitcase but I didn’t snap a pic so it doesn’t count. Instead, we found a Christmas bell. It was missing its clapper (that’s the technical term for the piece that makes it ring) but they didn’t say a working instrument so I’m counting it!

A Children’s Book With No Tape on it: Check. This children’s Japanese workbook.

A Bilingual Book: Pride and Prejudice anyone? It’s a classic in any language.

A few other cool finds, not on the list.  A spice mortar and pestle, a pair of earrings, and a sandalwood comb.

Random Things that made my friends and I happy: A German library book…Someone has racked up some serious fines! A best-of Yanni cassette tape for those of you Brooklyn hipsters wandering the ‘jing. A dartboard with only 2 darts! Because sometimes you just can’t commit to the full game.

Overall it was crowded but a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Don’t worry if you missed this one! The swap events happen several times a year and the best way to stay in the know is to follow The Bulk House on WeChat. Scan the QR code below.

THE BULK HOUSE 零浪费无包装商店
Gulou / Beiluoguxiang / Jiugulou Dajie

鼓楼北锣鼓巷旧鼓楼大街
70 Beiluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District
东城区北锣鼓巷70号

 KEEP READING: Theresa Parsonage on How Her ‘Spaghetti’ Brain Helps Taozi Tree Yoga

Images: Julie Wolf, Dazhongdianping

Whether you’re new to sustainable living or a seasoned eco-warrior, we’re here to help you on your journey to Going Green in Beijing. Every week, we’ll bring you China-centric eco-friendly news and tips in our column, Sustainability Sunday!

“It was an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, plastic-bottles-made bikini…” Yes, you read that right – a bikini made out of plastic bottles! That’s how far our technology has come these days. And that’s not all it’s capable of. I have three pairs of buttery soft pants hanging in my closet that are made from recycled coffee grounds. Incredible isn’t it?!

Sustainable fashion has spawned new enterprises that utilize various environmentally-friendly practices, from eco-materials and packaging to circular business models in which unwanted clothes are repurposed or recycled. Of course, we would still say that buying and consuming less is the best way to go, but if you’re really in need of a wardrobe update, then here are some local brands you can turn to for more sustainable choices.

NudePeche

Turning PET plastic bottles into fabric threads and then spinning that into comfortable yet sturdy sportswear is what NudePeche is all about. As the brand espouses, “each piece is made from up to 25 recycled post-consumer water bottles.” At the moment, the catalog comprises five pieces – Hardcore Leggings, Essential Shorts, Everyday Leggings, Everyday Top, and Essential Bra – in four wholesome colors. I just bought my first outfit and love how soft it feels. Plus, it ships in no-frills packaging from Shanghai within days of ordering, through the brand’s founder Nika, or on their TaoBao store. Scan the QR code on the poster below for more info.

LOOP Swimwear

Lovers of the ocean rejoice! Loop Swimwear makes beautiful bikinis, rash guards, and swim shorts for adults and kids alike, out of Repreve rPET yarn (again, from post-consumer plastic bottles). In their own words, “We are all about closing the loop on waste and making sure we #ProtectWhatYouLove – especially your skin and our environment. For divers, surfers, swimmers, snorkelers, paddle boarders, and wave jumpers, that environment is our oceans – and our oceans are saturated with plastic pollution.” Loop will also recycle your swimwear at the end of its use!

Zodiac Active

Denim is one of the most problematic aspects of the clothing industry, riddled with unfair labor, poor water, and cotton farming practices. Zodiac Active only sources denim and fabrics from pioneering suppliers who were game-changers on the sustainability landscape in China and in denim. They use 3 percent BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) as standard and other fabrics like organic cotton, linen, and merino wool. The womenswear brand offers hybrid essentials for the modern woman who goes from the office to pilates class, which is precisely why Zodiac Active developed their signature yoga denim pieces. Scan the QR code to check out their shop on Weidian.

NEIWAI

Homegrown Chinese brand NEIWAI (Pronunciation: NAY-WHY. Translation: Inside and Out.) aspires to create lingerie that frees both body and mind. It is less than ten years old but has multiple stores across Beijing. They were lauded for a recent media campaign “No Body is Nobody” that showcased women of various body shapes and skin tones in their store advertisements, which seems to support their brand messaging about ” liberating and empowering women with comfortable, functional clothing which accentuates natural beauty.” As they claim, “we want to help you embrace yourself, inside and out.” Sustainability-wise, the brand uses high quality, eco-friendly materials such as recycled nylon, Supima® Cotton, TENCEL Modal, and Spandex, is actively reducing its packaging, and provides washable panty liners! 

Know of more sustainable fashion brands here in China? Let us know in the comments below!

KEEP READING: Sustainability Sunday: “I Had Designer Suits, Shoes, And So Much Stuff…But I Wondered, Why?”

Images: Courtesy of the vendors

Sustainable in Beijing is our semi-regular column about sustainable lifestyle events and green news in Beijing. See more of our coverage here.

Clothing swaps and auctions have taken expat women’s circles by storm as of late, for very good reasons. Ladies who have participated in these swaps have transformed their fun fashion exchanges into a sustainable movement that has become charitable.

This Earth Day, events promoting sustainability and the zero-waste lifestyle abound, but there are two activities that I’d like to focus on in this edition of Sustainable in Beijing: the Plus-Size Eco-Fashion Swap and the Beijing High School Clothing Swap.

A “Big” Party Is Coming

Sometimes it’s just hard for anyone to find clothing that fits their size. On market apps like Taobao, it is just so mafan to buy clothes and to return those that don’t fit. And for plus-size people, it’s more challenging because clothes sizes in China are way smaller compared to those sold in the west.

So to answer that burning question of where plus-size people can get their clothing without spending too much, Sammy Sibanda has adopted the concept of clothing swaps and made it bigger! You will remember Sibanda as the founder of Miss Plus Global beauty pageant, and a prominent woman in the city’s African community.

She told us that organizing the Plus-Size Eco-Fashion Swap on April 21 (Sunday) for plus-size women comes from her personal experience.

“I’m plus-size, so the idea of just doing it is because I know plus-size women have problems in finding their sizes and different clothes. We’re different from other ladies who find it easier to get clothes their sizes and that’s what we are struggling with.”

As Sibanda attends many functions and organizes events, her wardrobe has grown to a point that it has left her thinking of not buying any more.

“Each and every time I organize an event, I actually buy a dress for that occasion. I only wear my dresses only once. My wardrobe is full, but I would love to have something else. So the way can I do that without spending money and wasting the clothes is to find someone who’ll take and wear them, while I also find what they have and take it. It is so eco-friendly and spices up our wardrobes.”

Sibanda says the timing of the Plus Size Eco Fashion and Swap Day is also ideal because we celebrate Earth Day.

“It’s the time when we do recycling and other sustainable actions. But instead of recycling clothes, it’s better we upcycle so whatever that I have in my wardrobe that I don’t use will go to someone who would like to wear it.”

But it’s not only about swapping clothes. People can bring formal wear, casual wear, shoes, accessories, bags, and stuff they don’t want to accumulate, or things that they don’t use. And as Sibanda puts it, “all things that plus-size people need will be under one roof, so when you walk out you’ll be guaranteed to have stuff that you will need.”

Plus Size Eco Fashion & Swap Day, Apr 21
It’s a party of epic proportions! All plus-size ladies in Beijing are invited to this eco-fashion swap day, a fun-filled event that brings everything that plus-size women need in one roof. Go there to clear out or spice up your closet!  Everyone is also invited to the party, but attendees who wish to join the swap are asked to bring gently used plus-size clothing and accessories, bags and shoes, and other items. Note that ladies shoes range from 42-44 (US 10-12).

Adults. 1.30-6pm. 16 South Liangmahe Road, Chaoyang District. Contact Sammy Sibanda at 15101517496 for more information.

High School Fashion

One’s fashion statement arguably begins in high school, when the youngsters start to explore and be exposed to trends and styles. And it gets more interesting when they don’t need to wear uniforms at school. So if you are a high schooler and want to refresh your wardrobe with spring and summer colors, head over to the International School of Beijing (ISB) on April 20 (Saturday) for a clothing swap hosted by your peers!

ISB’s We for She Club hosts the first Beijing High School Clothing Swap to celebrate Fashion Revolution Week. From 11am to 1pm, high school students from any Beijing high school may drop off their clothes at ISB’s Gym 3 and receive vouchers for the number of clothing items they bring. Clothing items include clothes, shoes, accessories, outerwear.

Later in the day until 4pm, students can try on clothes and swap for “new” items. Come and get some “new” clothes, make friends, and support a great cause! All leftover items will be collected at 4 pm by Roundabout.

Beijing High School Clothing Swap, Apr 20
Ages 12+. Free admission. 11am-4pm. ISB Gym 3.

Photos: Artem Bali via Pexels (featured photo); courtesy of Sammy Sibanda and ISB’s We for She Club

Sustainable in Beijing is our semi-regular column about sustainable lifestyle events and green news in Beijing. See more of our coverage here.

The #TrashTag Challenge

Who knew your trash can go viral? In this month’s The Green Pages, my colleague Rebecca Archer talked about the #trashtag challenge, which prompts western social media users to share photos of their clean-ups just like below:

One of the Instagram photos hashtagged #trashtag shows the challenge: take a photo after you clean up a place full of rubbish. This photo is shot in Nepal according to the uploader, Kelllvvviiinnn.

This hashtag is also gaining traction on Weibo with its Chinese version #捡垃圾挑战# (jiǎn lājī tiǎozhàn, “garbage challenge”). As we speak, this Chinese #trashtag has already gotten over 11,000 conversations and 31 million reads since March.

Even before the #trashtag and its Weibo version came to form, an equally important challenge has already done the rounds on the social platform, helping Chinese netizens live a zero waste lifestyle: the #零废弃挑战# (líng fèiqì tiǎozhàn, “zero waste challenge”).

We know that some fads on social media can fade away into oblivion just as fast they became viral, but the #trashtag challenge and its Chinese sister forms are here to stay, with several communities and organizations joining the call to post before-and-after photos of cleaning up rubbish on streets.

Initiatives like this are just one of many ways we can help care for Mother Nature. But what would be even better would be if everyone produced less trash in the first place! Check out our March 2019 Sustainability issue for more ideas on how you can cut down on plastic and other rubbish.

Eco Events This Month

Every year in April, there are many events centering on environmental protection, mainly because of Earth Day (April 22, a Monday this year) and the concept of rebirth during springtime. Here are some activities to check out. You can also visit our Events page for more upcoming environmental events in town.

The Bookworm Eco Spring Fair 2019, Apr 21
The Bookworm and The Bulk House will honor Earth Day by holding a free Pop-Up Eco Market, with the goal of spreading the word about green consumption and zero waste. 35 vendors of fine art, handicrafts, fashion, organic food, and charity from the local community will join the market and show how one can produce and consume the green way.

Ages 16+. Free. Noon-6pm. The Bookworm, Building 4, Nan Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District. 北京市朝阳区三里屯南街4号 (158 1071 3743, mr_j.c.zhang@hotmail.com)

Live With Less Youth Edition, Apr 21
Live With Less is a program designed to reduce excessive waste. For Earth Day, they are holding a special youth edition co-organized by Inspire Citizens’ student leaders (aged 7 to 16). This activity involves ten vendors, such as The Green Room, Sew Gorgeous, Roundabout Boutique, Fashion by Jenny, and more. At the same time, the Wild Women on the Wall 2019 will hold a special Bake Sale, in support of good causes including Agape Family Life House and Five Loaves and Two Fish.

All ages. Free. Noon- 4pm. Scan QR on the image for more details. Crossboundaries office, 2F, 4 Gongti Beilu, Bldg 10, Electrical Research Institute Compound, Chaoyang District. (WeChat ID: Crossboundaries)

The True Cost of Fashion: Who Pays the Price of Our Clothes Documentary Screening, Apr 23
The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary film that pulls back the curtain on the untold story of “fast fashion” and asks us to consider who really pays the price for our clothing. This screening is followed by a panel discussion with experts from Beijing’s sustainable fashion industry.

Adults. RMB 50 (presale tickets include one drink). Book a seat here. 7-9.30pm. The Bookworm, Sanlitun.  (WeChat: becstarnz)

Swap, Sweat, and Smile: LIVE WITH LESS x Heyrobics, Apr 27
A swap with a sports focus, so bring your exercise clothing and gear, or come and pick up some new stuff. 

Adults. Free (half price pizza and drinks.). 1-4pm swapping; 4-5pm Heyrobics. Xian Bar, East Hotel. WeChat: crossboundaries

Next on Sustainable in Beijing: I’ll talk about the results of the Eco-Art Challenge that I joined several weeks ago. And a big plus — more about the upcoming Plus Size Clothing Swap party.

Photos: rawpixels.com via Pexels, Instagram @kelllvvviiinnn via Buzzfeed, courtesy of event organizers

Sustainable in Beijing is our semi-regular column about sustainable lifestyle events and green news in Beijing. See more of our coverage here.

Express Delivery Companies Team Up for a “Green Action Initiative”

How many times have you heard the joke, “Everything’s on Taobao … except for your mother?” Well this, along with other mobile shopping apps, have made buying things very convenient and cheap, especially when we’re so busy with the pace of our own lives.

You may have encountered a constant stream of kuaidi (delivery) guys knocking on the door of your home or office. Or perhaps your office corner is full of untidily stacked empty delivery packages. Just seeing these can make you realize the harsh reality of the convenience and instant gratification brought about by the mobile shopping phenomenon, and sadly it’s Mother Nature that’s suffering.

In fact, around 150 million parcels are being delivered by around 3 million kuaidi drivers in China every day. So think about it: what are we going to do with all the waste? And where are we putting the plastic packaging and boxes?

Earlier this month, China’s major delivery service companies and the China Environmental Protection Foundation formed an alliance and launched the “China Express Green Book”, a “green action initiative” that promotes collaboration in the production of environmentally-friendly packaging materials, as well as building green logistics and involving everyone in waste segregation.

The “Multi-Party Co-Governance and Greener Express Delivery” (多方共治、快递更绿) initiative by an alliance of five major Chinese express delivery companies and two environmental organizations. Here’s our unofficial translation:

Members of the community:

In China, more than 150 million parcels are being dispatched everyday by more than three million express delivery personnel on the streets. To make every package green is not just a matter of one department, one city, or one enterprise. It needs government support, industrial cooperation, enterprise innovation, public participation and multi-governance. To this end, we jointly propose:

– Promoting green material innovation
– Merchants promoting environment-friendly packaging
– Adopting clean distribution
– Improving infrastructure, such as setting up as courier stations
– Involving everyone to participate in garbage segregation

The China Environmental Protection Foundation said the initiative “will help promote the formation of green development methods and lifestyles, and create an atmosphere in which the whole society can save resources and protect the environment.”

The alliance also launched a couple of projects, including a “Return Box Plan” to recycle carton parcels and the “China Express Green Innovation Lab.”

It’s unclear when the initiative will be put into action. But still, it’s great news for environment protection, so we’ll keep an eye out for updates from this alliance.

What to Do with Express Package Plastic?

Speaking of recycling, there are a lot of ways to make use of those delivery parcels. The bigger boxes that I collected now contain my winter coat, and other unused attire ready for donation.

But what about the plastic bags?

On March 16 (Saturday), a panel of environmentalists and members of the Global Shapers Community Beijing will gather at Gung Ho! Pizza in Sanlitun to talk about what we can do about the glut of delivery plastics. To give you an idea, China generates between 7-8 million plastic bags for fast-delivery parcels every year. We better turn them into something useful!

The Eco-Art Challenge begins with two seminars on the nature of plastic waste in China and how we can use art and technology to deal with the issue. The main session will be the launch of the “challenge” – living plastic free for one week or beyond.

After these activities, participants will together create an art piece that addresses this environmental issue.

See the whole agenda and speakers’ profiles here.

Eco-Art Challenge, Mar 16
Adults. RMB 60 (register here). 3-5pm. Gung Ho! Pizza, Sanlitun.

Additional reporting and translation by Grace Zhang
Photos: Andy Penafuerte, sohu.com, poster courtesy of Global Shapers Community Beijing

We dedicate this special section to the makers of Beijing – the entrepreneurs, crafters, and movers and shakers who provide new ways of experiencing this great city. We know there are many out there who have exciting endeavors in mind but are just waiting for the right moment. So we hope that you find inspiration in each maker whom we’ve invited to participate in this feature.

Joe Harvey and Carrie Yu
THE BULK HOUSE

A zero-waste lifestyle may be hard to attain nowadays, especially since many of us are accustomed to using throwaway products. But it’s better to start working toward that goal by small steps than not to try at all. In Beijing, the zero-waste movement is gaining steam and many groups like THE BULK HOUSE remind locals and expats alike that this kind of sustainable living is possible. Co-founders Joe Harvey and Carrie Yu promote it through content, events, and eco-friendly products sold in mainland China’s first zero-waste store in Gulou in Beijing.

beijingkids: Is The Bulk House related to your profession or hobby?
Carrie: Oddly enough, I did have a childhood dream to have my own supermarket, although the memory of that dream is a bit hazy, I am quite sure it wasn’t the dream of a zero-waste supermarket.
Joe: I wanted to have my own ice-cream van and a sweet shop. I vividly remember that I was just thinking it was so I could eat sweets and ice-cream all day “for free”, not sure there would have been much profit with my childhood business plan.
Carrie: The zero-waste business idea did come out of the blue, watched a video from Bea Johnson about zero waste and came up with the name of THE BULK HOUSE 10-minutes later. Didn’t think the idea would really become a reality.
Joe: we were inspired due to being rather peeved off by the amount of waste we were seeing around the streets and the zero thought consumers were making when consuming. We started changing our ways first and then thought we’d start telling some more people about it. You gotta walk the walk to talk the talk.

How did you face the first few challenges that came along your way?
Joe: We are still facing the same challenge, too much incoming communication is preventing us from focusing on big tasks. We are getting better at dealing with this now by only accepting meetings that are absolutely necessary, and moving nearly all communication to email. We know what to do, we just need to focus, we are getting better at this each day.
Carrie: Flight mode is a new, great habit that has helped a lot recently.

Share with us a memorable story with your customer/patron and how did that help you build your brand better?
Carrie: We have had come all the way from other cities to attend events and to see our store and have offered to help us out in any way they can. We are constantly thankful to so many of our customers who have become volunteers… they have all been amazing! There are volunteers who give a few precious hours a month but have been such a great help to us. There are always 101 little things to do in the store and so a helping hand from a volunteer or two has really reduced the stress on busy days in the store.

We know that Beijing is a land of opportunities so what can you tell people who are planning to set up small businesses?
Carrie: Don’t try to do too many things at once, this is a big mistake we made.
Joe: If you are only starting a business for the money, you might want to have a re-think. Supposedly 9 out of 10 start-ups fail, so, if you find something you love or at least enjoy, then if the worst comes to the worst and your start-up does fail, then at least you’ve failed at something that was worth getting out of bed for. Also, make sure that the people you partner with share the same values as this is extremely important.

What’s that one thing that keeps you on staying in Beijing? 
Carrie: A little zero waste store on Gulou Dong Dajie!

Want to know more about the zero-waste movement in Beijing? Contact Harvey and Yu on WeChat ID: THE_BULK_HOUSE_1 or the_lord@thebulkhouse.com. Visit their store: No. 24-2, Gulou Dong Dajie.

This is the digital version of the Making the New Beijing feature article in the beijingkids November 2018 Beijing Makers issue
Photo: Lens Studio