Chipotle Launching Sustainable Merch Using Avocado Pits as Natural Dye
By Claudia Langella
Earthy hues are making a comeback! Gone are the days when neon greens and blues dominated the runway. Enter the natural dying process. Guess who’s in on this trend? Your favorite fast Mexican restaurant—Chipotle.
The popular fast food chain already has a line of tasteful restaurant swag—like an Extra guacamole sweatshirt and Avocado Jean Jacket—but now they’re hopping on the sustainable fashion trend with Chipotle Goods. Did you know that Chipotle assumes over 300 million avocado pits per year, just from making their famous guacamole? The company is putting the pits to good use by turning them into a natural clothing dye. One would assume avocado dye comes out green, like the avocados on your morning toast, but fabric is left with a rosy pink that looks great with denim!
“It’s Okay To Be A Little Extra” ($20)
The line launched on August 4 and is going to go quick! Fifteen million Chipotle loyalty customers had an exclusive look at the collection, which includes a t-shirt, tote bag and sweatshirt. We love the “It’s okay to be a little extra” tote and feel great about purchasing something that’s eliminating landfill waste!
Chipotle purchases more avocados than any other food company in the country, so obviously they’re going to be left with a ton of food waste. Natural dye is the company’s best solution to this detrimental problem.
"Commercial compost isn't available everywhere, and that meant that a lot of avocado pits were potentially destined for landfills each year. We started brainstorming ways we could use our avocado pits for good, and natural dye was something that kept coming up,” a spokesperson said to CNN.
But what’s even better about this new line is that all of it is size- and gender-inclusive. It’s a win for you, and a win for the environment! Additionally, the company is sourcing organic cotton, because clothing production is another problem that the environment faces daily.
In 2019, Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol announced that each location would be upping the ante on their sustainability efforts. Recycling and composting were set up at each of the chain’s restaurants, and they pledged to order fresh produce from local farmers—a promise they kept throughout 2019, purchasing over 35 million pounds of local products for their restaurants from nearby farms. This new sustainable merchandise line allows the Chipotle consumer to participate in the company’s sustainability mission. So, the next time you order a burrito, get some guac—because you and your closet are worth it!