It's still Bathroom Month on Re-nest, so we're still on the lookout for eco-friendly shower curtains. Here's a new one, simple and straight-forward: the Ty recyclable shower curtain by Grain. Coming out of the Pacific Northwest, Ty is made of PVC-free high-density polyethylene (HDPE), or #2 plastic, which is the most commonly recycled plastic. It's easy to clean, has no off-gassing, and can also be recycled at the end of its life by mailing it back to the company...
That's great, except that Ikea already has a PEVA (polyethylene vinyl acetate; non-chlorine-containing) shower curtain for as low as $1.79
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90099501
view olga's profile
I also have a PEVA shower curtain, mine's from Target. Why would you mail it back to the company if you can just toss it in a recycle bin?
view ObliterateWasteNow's profile
NYC only recycles #1 and #2 bottles, meaning the opening is smaller than the body. Everything else is trash unless you can find somewhere to recycle them for you (1 and 2s that are not bottles, 4s, 5s, 6s, etc). I appreciate this, like people who are recycling yoga mats and Patagonia recycling its clothes. Wow you can recycle PEVA.
My only gripe with this is that I only use clear shower curtains/liners. I don't think I could give that up. Make a clear version!
view Scazza's profile
Great comments! Here's what we know and why we developed Ty...
PEVA vs. HDPE:
While PEVA claims to be both PVC-free and recyclable, we've found it difficult to locate information on how to recycle PEVA curtains. Being #2 HDPE plastic, Ty is PVC-free and readily recyclable all across the U.S. (even curbside in many locations).
If your local recycling program does not pick up #2 plastic, you can mail Ty back to the material manufacturer or use one of these sources for HDPE recycling: http://www.recyclingplasticwaste.com/recyclers/usa/hdpe/
Currently, it is not recommended to machine wash PEVA shower curtains and they are just as likely to develop mold and mildew as vinyl. Ty is mold and mildew resistant, extremely durable and even machine washable. We expect Ty to have a much longer lifespan than existing alternatives.
We also make and source Ty right here in the U.S., so there is less transportation in the process.
We do not have the ability to develop a clear version of Ty, but we are looking into creating a line of screen-printed Ty's in the future.
Hope this helps!
view grain's profile
I thought I could never ditch my clear plastic $2 shower liner... Until my boyfriend's Mom randomly bought us a product similar to above. While it doesn't boast the made from recycled content, I absolutely LOVE it!
So easy to clean, pop it in the washer... Doesn't smell, is very mildew/mold resistant... I will never go back to clear plastic again. If this one ever wears out (it's almost 2 years old, still looks brand new), I would love to try the Ty!
view mspants's profile