Sustainable Manufacturing Icon Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks Goes Green for Halloween
Sustainable Manufacturing Icon Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks Goes Green for Halloween in Stunning Eco-Friendly Costume Earth Friendly Products CEO Continues Her Tradition of Using Upcycled Materials to Show How Costumes Can Be Made More Sustainably
Cypress, CA (October 31, 2018) – Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, president and CEO of Earth Friendly Products®, continued her tradition of creating a more eco-friendly Halloween by partnering with innovative costume designer Diana Rennie to create a one-of-a-kind upcycled “Lady Liberty” costume made entirely of remnant materials from her company’s sustainable manufacturing facilities.
Rennie, whose clientele includes the Disneyland Resort and Cirque du Soleil, made the Lady Liberty costume from manufacturing remnants of the company’s ECOS® plant-powered laundry detergents and cleaning products. Recyclable trash bags created her flowing gown, while recyclable ECOS® bottles and remnant labels created her glowing torch. Lady Liberty’s crown was made with green binding straps from corrugated boxes, and other materials used include discarded plastic hand soap pumps, label backings and spools, and used cardboard and packing materials.
“This year’s Lady Liberty costume is so special to me because the Statue of Liberty is the most recognizable symbol of what makes America so great,” says Vlahakis-Hanks. “Lady Liberty shines a light of promise—the promise of freedom. To me, she’s lighting the way to a green, safer future, one that’s free from toxic chemicals. That’s our mission, to create plant-powered cleaners that are safer for people, pets and the planet.”
Founded by Greek immigrant Van Vlahakis over 50 years ago, Earth Friendly Products® has become a leader in sustainable American manufacturing, with four facilities located across the U.S. The company was the first to achieve the sustainability “trifecta” of carbon neutrality, water neutrality, and Platinum-level Zero Waste certification, and it has received many awards for its green science innovations.
Vlahakis-Hanks has commissioned several unique, upcycled Halloween costumes made from ECOS® packaging materials, partnering with fashion designers on costumes such as Tim Burton’s Queen of Hearts, Star Wars’ Queen Amidala, and Marie Antoinette.
“I think Halloween is the most creative time of the year, and it’s so easy and fun to use discarded items to make costumes,” says Vlahakis-Hanks. “Everything we can do to reduce, reuse and recycle—even in small ways—helps protect our planet and our future.” For more fun tips on how to green your Halloween, visit http://bit.ly/GreenHalloweenECOS.
ABOUT EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS®
Family owned and operated since 1967, Earth Friendly Products® is the maker of ECOS® Laundry Detergent and over 90 other sustainable products that are safer for people, pets and the planet. Made with plant-powered ingredients, ECOS® cleaners are thoughtfully sourced, pH balanced, readily biodegradable formula, easily recyclable, and never tested on animals. Over 90 ECOS® products have received the coveted U.S. EPA Safer Choice certification, which means that every ingredient is the safest in its class and that formulations are effective and demonstrate sustainability without sacrificing quality or performance. ECOS®, Baby ECOS®, ECOS® for Pets! and ECOS® Pro cleaners are available at major club and grocery retailers and natural foods stores throughout the U.S., in over 60 countries and online at https://www.ecos.com