Whangārei May 2026 Green Drinks

This Green Drinks is an exciting opportunity to learn what happens to tons of clothing destined for landfill but is rescued and converted into everyday useful materials!

Judy Keats, Environmental Educator with EcoSolutions, will be presenting on the Textile Recycling Network, a recent initiative lead by CBEC (Community Business and Environment Centre) with funding from the Ministry for the Environment.  

Since August 2025 in Te Tai Tokerau, three centres have been in operation working with local op shops to turn garment ‘waste’ into useful products. 

In Whangārei, three main op shops supply regular donations of unsold clothing for processing into mattresses, home insulation and weed matting. Volunteers, which include Timebank members earning time credits, remove buttons, zips, studs etc and sew mattress covers. All Heart NZ transport the processed textiles to Textile NZ in Auckland where they are upcycled.

Green Drinks is open to everyone to enjoy, so come along on Tues 19th May at 6pm to hear more about the project, see products made from recycled clothing, meet volunteers and enjoy connecting with like-minded locals!

Where: 141A Cameron Street, Whangārei

When: 6pm – 7.30pm

Refreshments provided

For more info contact: judy@cbec.co.nz or janeype.tttimebank@gmail.com