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Emanuel Lutheran Church to observe St. Lucia Day with dinner

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FITCHBURG — In observance of Saint Lucia Day, the community is invited to a Swedish Meatball Dinner, beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at Emanuel Lutheran Church, 1200 John Fitch Highway.

Guests will enjoy Swedish meatballs, noodles, butternut squash, lingonberry sauce, roll, apple pie, and non-alcoholic glögg.

Cost for dinner is $15 for a regular portion and $8 for a small portion.

Tickets can be purchased from the church office Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon.

For more information, call the church office at 978-345-1200. Limited dinners will be sold at the door.

Community Calendar: Week of Dec. 4, 2022

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Sunday, Dec. 4

Small Works & Holiday Marketplace: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Princeton Senior & Community Center, 206 Worcester Road, Princeton. Browse, shop, and enjoy hundreds of fine art and artisan-made, affordable holiday gift items made by members of the Princeton Arts Society.

Monday, Dec. 5

Kids Music Concert: 10 a.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Kids Rock! will perform original and popular songs for children; presented by Monument Square Community Music School; ages 5-under. 978-534-7522.

First Friends Story Time: 10:30 a.m.; Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road. Join Miss Karen for a relaxed story time for infants and toddlers. 978-597-1714.

Little Listeners Story Time: 11 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Help your child develop a life-long love of reading with books, activities, rhymes, and songs; ages newborn-4. No registration needed. lunenburglibrary.org.

Zoom – Job Search Help “Don’t Turn Your Job Interview into a Train Wreck”: 2 p.m.; Hosted by Bigelow Free Public Library, Clinton. Maureen Weisner, founder and managing partner of KICKSTART Your Transition, will help individuals in transition involving career change, divorce, education, and other work/life events. To register, visit bigelowlibrary.org.

SWAGLY-North: 4 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Join this welcoming, teen-lead group celebrating LGBTQIA+ identities, discuss queer issues, support each other, have fun, and enjoy snacks; grades 7-12. leominsterlibrary.org.

Monday Game Night: 4:30 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. Play Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros available; snacks provided. thayermemoriallibrary.org.

Knitting Group: 6 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. 978-368-8928.

3-D Printing and 3-D Doodler Pen Exploration: 6 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Toys in Box Associates will introduce kids, ages 8-12, to the world of 3-D printing. To register, call 978-534-7522.

Tuesday, Dec. 6

Online – Birdwatching Around the World – Mongolia: 9 a.m.; Hosted by Mass Audubon. Travel around the world learning about birds and other amazing animals from the comfort of your home. To register, visit massaudubon.org.

Wild Tales: 10 a.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Children will listen to an animal story and afterwards, meet a live opossum up close; ages 4-8. Hosted by MA Audubon Drumlin Farms. To register, 978-534-7522.

The Story Time Gym: 10:30 a.m.; Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road. Have fun making your way through the obstacle course with steppingstones, hop spots, balance beams, tunnels and more, then enjoy a story, poem, or finger play; ages 2-5. To register, call 978-597-1714.

Story Time with Miss Jane: 10:30 a.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. Enjoy songs, finger plays, movement, and stories. 978-829-1789.

Wild Tales: 10:45 a.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Children will listen to an animal story and afterwards, meet a live opossum up close; ages 4-8. Hosted by MA Audubon Drumlin Farms. To register, 978-534-7522.

“100 Books Bucket List” Book Club: 11 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Read and discuss “square #48: Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi. 978-582-4140.

Story Time – Bears: 11 a.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Join Miss Tiffany for a morning of thankful stories, rhymes, and a fun craft; ages 0-5. ashburnhamlibrary.org.

English Conversation Circle: 11 a.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. This drop-in program is free and open to all speakers of all languages and abilities. leominsterlibrary.org.

Stitchcraft Knitting & Crochet Group: 3-5 p.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Chat while working on a project, or learn a new skill. 978-582-4140.

Drop-In Craft – Paper Snowflakes: 3:30 p.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Make 3D snowflakes; ages 11-18. lunenburglibrary.org.

Teen Game Night: 5 p.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. Enjoy light, relaxing gaming with 30-minute time slots available or play with a friend for an hour. 978-829-1789.

Community Yoga: 5:30-7:15 p.m.; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. Regardless of skill level, community yoga is open to all. 978-660-6759.

Tech Help for Seniors: 6 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. Jon Roper will provide help with electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones. To register, visit thayermemoriallibrary.org.

Knitting Group: 6 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. thayermemoriallibrary.org.

Chinese Brush Painting: 6 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. ‘Brush up’ on your artwork with Sau-Mei; ages 16-up. To register, visit thayermemoriallibrary.org.

Alzheimer and Dementia Support Group: 6 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. A place for caregivers, family, and friends of persons with dementia to meet and develop a support system. For information, call Bob Cote at 978-549-1458.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Chapter 24 meeting: 7 p.m.; Leominster Veterans Memorial Center, 100 West St. Call 978-537-1541 for more information.

Trivial Pursuit Club: 7:30 p.m. Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. 978-874-7416.

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Pre-K Story Time: 10 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Help your child develop a lifelong love of reading with stories, activities, rhymes, and songs; ages 4-5. No registration required. lunenburglibrary.org.

Read Aloud Circle for Adults: 10 a.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Improve your English language reading and speaking skills. Presented by the Literacy Volunteers of Montachusett Area. To register, call 978-534-7522.

Chair & Stand: 10:15 a.m.; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. 978-874-7416.

Story Time with Miss Molly: 10:30 a.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. Enjoy songs, finger plays, movement, and stories. 978-829-1789.

Move and Groove Story Time: 10:30 a.m.; Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road. Join Miss Jessie as she moves and grooves her way through your favorite storybooks; ages 2-up. To register, visit townsendlibrary.org.

MOC CFCE Playgroup: 10:30 a.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Join Miss Kelley for a morning of creating, exploring, and sharing at the library. ashburnhamlibrary.org.

Little Listeners Story Time: 11 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Help your child develop a life-long love of reading with books, activities, rhymes, and songs; ages newborn-4. No registration needed. lunenburglibrary.org.

Zoom “Spacesuits – What Every Fashionable Astronaut is Wearing”: 11 a.m.; Hosted by Bigelow Free Public Library, Clinton. Join Solar System Ambassador David S. Ball as he discusses spacesuits required for intravehicular, extravehicular, and surface operations. To register, visit bigelowlibrary.org.

Quilting at Forbush: Noon; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. 978-874-7416.

Joe’s Book Group: 1 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. thayermemoriallibrary.org

MOC CFCE Program: 1 p.m.; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. Join Miss Mary for an afternoon of creating, exploring, and sharing; ages 0-6. 978-874-7416.

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic: 1-4 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, along with new boosters, available. Hosted by Spanish American Center. For detailed information, call 978-534-3145.

Build a Cardboard Gingerbread House: 1-4:30 p.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. Drop-in to build a cardboard gingerbread house (while supplies last). 978-829-1789.

Creative Corner: 4 p.m.; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. 978-874-7416.

LEGO Club: 4 p.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Build with the library staff; ages 6-12. ashburnhamlibrary.org

‘Chopped’ inspired Cooking Class: 5 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Participants will split into two teams and choose from an assortment of ingredients to create a delicious pasta salad. Hosted by Food Explorers. To register, call 978-534-7522.

Family ‘Holly Days’ Party: 6-7:30 p.m.; Bigelow Free Public Library, 54 Walnut St., Clinton. Enjoy make & take projects, holiday sing-a-longs, refreshments, and more. bigelowlibrary.org.

Adult Book Club: 6 p.m.; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. Read and discuss “Dracula” by Bram Stoker. 978-874-7416.

Sensory Friendly Card Night: 6 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Enjoy your favorite collectible games like Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh; ages 16-26. 978-534-7522.

“Elf” Interactive Movie: 6 p.m.; Hosted by Townsend Public Library. Participate during the movie with props, activities and more as part of the audience; children under 13 years of age must be accompanied by a parent. To register, visit townsendlibrary.org.

Teen Paint Party: 6 p.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Join instructor Kate Heinze from The Painted Goat for a fun night of painting; ages 12-18. To register, visit ashburnhamlibrary.org.

Libby App Presentation: 6:30 p.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Library staff will walk you through the process of setting up the Libby App step-by-step. ashburnhamlibrary.org.

Thursday, Dec. 8

Stretch, Strengthen & Balance: 10:15 a.m.; Forbush Memorial Library, 118 Main St., Westminster. All welcome. 978-874-7416.

Every Child Ready to Read: 10:30 a.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. Liz Garreffi leads this story time featuring stories, songs, and a craft; ages 2-5. thayermemoriallibrary.org.

Story Time – Bears: 11 a.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Join Miss Tiffany for a morning of thankful stories, rhymes, and a fun craft; ages 0-5. ashburnhamlibrary.org.

Zumbini Class: 11:15 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Julie Quirk from Fitchburg’s Studio Q will teach this fun music and movement class. To register, visit lunenburglibrary.org.

Brown Bag Book Group: Noon; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Read and discuss “Hamnet” by Maggie O’Farrell. This is a drop-in program. 978-534-7522.

Knitting: 12:30-3 p.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. Join other knitters to work on projects or ask knitting/crocheting questions. 978-345-5968.

Stitchcraft Knitting & Crochet Group: 3-5 p.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Chat while working on a project, or learn a new skill. 978-582-4140.

Perler Bead Teen Craft: 3-5 p.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. Visit the Garden Room to create whatever beaded design you like; ages 13-18. 978-829-1789.

Lego Minifigure Swap: 5:30 p.m.; Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road. Bring the mini figures you want to trade, meet other brick enthusiasts, make some trades, and meet new friends. townsendlibrary.org.

Lunenburg Historical Society program: 7 p.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. The society will present “I’m Going Home” the story of Elizabeth Ann Arnold Estin Moulton of Lunenburg. lunenburglibrary.org.

Historical Book Club: 7 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Join Diane Sanabria, local history and genealogy librarian, for a discussion of “The Girls of Atomic City: the Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II” by Denise Kiernan. Light refreshments. 978-534-7522.

Zoom “She’s On the Case”: 7 p.m.; Hosted by Bigelow Free Public Library, Clinton. Everything was fine until it wasn’t – a scream in the library, books gone missing and more. Join acclaimed authors Sulari Gentill, Hank Phillippi Ryan, and Eva Jurczyk for an evening of intriguing mysteries. bigelowlibrary.org.

Friday, Dec. 9

Pre-K Story Time: 10 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Help your child develop a lifelong love of reading with stories, activities, rhymes, and songs; ages 4-5. No registration required. lunenburglibrary.org

Story Time & Craft: 10:30 a.m.; Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road. Read “The Joyful Book” by Todd Parr and then create a simple themed project to take home with Miss Jessie; ages 2-6. To register, visit townsendlibrary.org.

ABC Story Time: 10:30 a.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. ABC stands for Alphabet, Books, and Crafts at this story time with Miss Maren; ages 3-6. thayermemoriallibrary.org.

COVID Vax Clinic: 2-5 p.m.; Fitchburg Public Library, 610 Main St. The Fitchburg Board of Health is hosting a Pfizer vaccine and booster clinic for ages 5-up; bring your vaccine card for second shots or boosters. 508-922-4138.

Middle Grade Book Club: 4 p.m.; Thayer Memorial Library, 717 Main St., Lancaster. Readers ages 9-12 meet to discuss this month’s book, hang out with friends, and play trivia. Zoom available. thayermemoriallibrary.org.

Small Works & Holiday Marketplace: 6-8 p.m.; Princeton Senior & Community Center, 206 Worcester Road, Princeton. Browse, shop, and enjoy hundreds of fine art and artisan-made, affordable holiday gift items made by members of the Princeton Arts Society.

Rainbow Dinner: 6:30 p.m.; Ashburnham Community Church, 84 Main St. LGBTQI seniors (50+), along with friends and family, welcome. To reserve your seat, share dietary needs, or if you are interested in volunteering, email ashburnhamcommunitychurch@gmail.com.

Saturday, Dec. 10

Small Works & Holiday Marketplace: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Princeton Senior & Community Center, 206 Worcester Road, Princeton. Browse, shop, and enjoy hundreds of fine art and artisan-made, affordable holiday gift items made by members of the Princeton Arts Society.

Saturday Craft Camp: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Stevens Memorial Library, 20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham. Drop in the Makerspace for an easy fall craft; ages 6-12. ashburnhamlibrary.org.

Friends of the Library Holiday Fair: 10 a.m.; Townsend Public Library, 12 Dudley Road. The fair will feature crafters, homemade food, specialty desserts, cookies, children’s games, a child only shopping room, and a visit by Santa from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Songs and Stories with Matt York: 10:30 a.m.; Lunenburg Public Library, 1023 Massachusetts Ave. Longtime New England singer/songwriter Matt York will perform the songs of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings and tell stories of their careers. To register, visit lunenburglibrary.org.

Scrabble Club: 11 a.m.; Bigelow Free Public Library, 54 Walnut St., Clinton. Enjoy friendly games of Scrabble. To register, visit bigelowlibrary.org.

Virtual – December Food Festival: 1 p.m.; Hosted by Bigelow Free Public Library Join Simply Creative Chef Rob Scott and learn how to make spiced eggnog rum cookies, gooey and chocolately mini cookies, and holiday jam thumbprint cookies. To register, visit bigelowlibrary.org.

“A Christmas Carol”: 2 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Join actors Stephen Collins and Poornima Kirby for a funny, heartfelt journey through Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol.” Free. 978-534-7522.

LEGO Friends: 3 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Enjoy this fun-filled afternoon building LEGOS with friends; ages 6-12. To register, call 978-534-7522.

Teen Story Time: 3 p.m.; Leominster Public Library, 30 West St. Drink hot cocoa, enjoy stories and make a craft.

Swedish Meatball Dinner: 5 p.m.; Emanual Lutheran Church, 1200 John Fitch Highway, Fitchburg. Held in observance of Saint Lucia Day, enjoy Swedish meatballs, noodles, butternut squash, lingonberry sauce, apple pie, and non-alcoholic glogg; $15. Call for reservations at 978-345-1200. Limited dinners sold at the door.

“Holiday Spirits” Fundraiser Concert: 7-8:30 p.m.; New Dawn Arts Center, 84 Main St., Ashburnham. Tickets are $20; visit newdawnarts.org.

Sunday, Dec. 11

Small Works & Holiday Marketplace: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Princeton Senior & Community Center, 206 Worcester Road, Princeton. Browse, shop, and enjoy hundreds of fine art and artisan-made, affordable holiday gift items made by members of the Princeton Arts Society.

Yoga on the Trails: 10:30 a.m.; Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, 113 Goodnow Road, Princeton. Connect with your mind, breath, and body as you take in the beauty of Wachusett Meadow in the winter. massaudubon.org.

Christmas Concert: 2 p.m.; Tata Auditorium, Leominster City Hall, 25 West St. The Leominster Colonial Band, under the direction of Maestro Stephen Piermarini, will perform Christmas classics and pop favorites.

FATV-LTV weekly schedule highlights: Week of Dec. 4, 2022

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FATV schedule highlights for this week

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Monday 4:30 p.m., Kushmerek Connection (New)

Tuesday 7 p.m., Barbara & You Christmas Special (Live)

Wednesday 7 p.m., Inside Fitchburg (Live)

Comcast 8/Verizon 35

Sunday, 9 a.m., “Music and the Spoken Word”

Monday, 5 p.m., “North Central Journal (New)

Tuesday, 7 p.m., “Barbara & You (Live)

Wednesday, 7 p.m., “Inside Fitchburg” (New)

Thursday 10 a.m., “Fit for Life”

Friday, 8:30 a.m., “Real Estate Tips”

Saturday 10 p.m., “Saturday Fright Night Special”

Comcast 9/Verizon 36

Monday — Friday 9 a.m., Cooking and Kids

Monday — Friday 7:30 a.m., Memorial Middle School Morning Show (Live)

Comcast 99/Verizon 37

Monday 6 p.m., School Committee Meeting (Live)

Tuesday 7 p.m., City Council Meeting (Live)

Wednesday 6 p.m., Conservation Commission Meeting (Live)

Complete daily schedules, on demand video and livestreaming is available at fatv.org. FATV also on Fire TV & Apple TV & Roku Search for FATV in the App Store.

Leominster.TV highlights this week

Verizon 34/Comcast 8

Monday, 7:30 p.m., “Make Cents”

Tuesday, 6 p.m., “Medium Bonnie Page”

Wednesday, 5 p.m., “Good Shepherd Ghana”

Thursday, 4 p.m., “Inside Leominster-Live”

Friday, 6 p.m., “Lifeline Ministries”

Saturday, 7 p.m., “College Church 7th Day Adventists”

Sunday 3 & 5 p.m., “Tina Cooks”

Verizon 32/Comcast 9

Go to leominster.tv for more schedule details.

Verizon 33/Comcast 99

Representing Leominster

Leominster City Council Meeting Nov. 28

Leominster Conservation Commission Meeting Nov. 8

Leominster School Committee meeting Dec. 5

Leominster Planning Board meeting Nov. 21

City Council meetings, 2nd Monday of the month 6:45 p.m. (live)

School Committee meeting, repeated showings daily

Planning Board meeting, repeated showings daily

Go to leominster.tv for more schedule details.

Will we ever be able to recycle our clothes like an aluminum can?

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A new textile recycling plant opened by the company Renewcell in the small coastal city of Sundsvall, Sweden, is so big that employees use bikes to get from one end of the production line to the other.

Large bales of cotton waste are dumped on conveyor belts, shredded, and then broken down into a wet slurry, with the help of chemicals. That slurry, known as dissolving pulp, is then bleached, dried, stamped into sheets of what looks like recycled craft paper, given the brand name Circulose, and shipped off to manufacturers to be made into textiles like viscose for clothes.

Up until now, most clothes marketed as made from recycled materials only contained a small percentage of recycled cotton or were made from water bottles, fishing nets and old carpets. (Technology exists to recycle polyester into polyester but is prohibitively expensive and rarely used.)

Renewcell’s factory is one of the first steps toward a system that turns old clothes into new high-quality clothes made entirely with recycled fabric. It also helps to address the mountains of textile waste accumulating worldwide and may help reduce the number of trees that are harvested from ecologically sensitive forests to produce fabrics for fashion. (More than 200 million trees are cut down every year to produce dissolving pulp for man-made cellulosic fabrics, including rayon, viscose, modal, and lyocell, according to Canopy, a Canadian nonprofit that works with the paper and fashion industries to reduce deforestation.)

About a half-dozen startups around the world are aimed at commercial textile recycling, and Renewcell is the first to open.

“It’s exciting,” Ashley Holding, a sustainable textile consultant and founder of Circuvate, said of the factory’s opening. “It’s great to see them get to such a stage.”

The rise of unwanted goods

Fashion circularity wasn’t always this complicated. Before industrialization, most people made their own clothing from all-natural materials. The wealthy repurposed and passed their clothes down to servants, and then on to people in rural communities, who patched them until the garments were no longer wearable and then bartered them to rag collectors, according to a 2018 study from the University of Brighton. In Europe, these rags were collected in warehouses and then finally sent to be made into paper or wool shoddy for affordable blankets and coats.

With the industrialization of fashion at the end of the 19th century, people who previously sewed their clothes at home began to buy some of their garments, Adam Minter, the author of “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale,” wrote in an email.

“As garments fell in value, and women entered the industrial workforce, consumers had fewer incentives and less time to mend and repair,” according to Minter.

There was an expanded flow of unwanted goods, and the Salvation Army, which opened in New York in the late 19th century, started raising money for charitable projects by taking in, repairing and reselling clothing and housewares, according to Minter. Goodwill was founded around the same time as a Boston church’s charitable program.

“By the 1910s, the volume of unwanted clothing and other consumer goods was so great that charities transitioned away from mending,” Minter said.

Today, most of our clothing ends up in the trash, said Maxine Bédat, the author of the 2021 book “Unraveled: The Life and Death of a Garment.” It is hard to get a reliable figure of how much is discarded, especially in the United States. But, she said, “We’re still primarily throwing it out.”

More data is available for Europe. On average, 62% of clothing that comes to market each year in six Western European countries ends up in landfills or incinerators, according to a recent study by Fashion for Good.

What isn’t thrown out mostly still flows to organizations like Goodwill, which pass on what can’t be sold to for-profit sorting companies, according to Bédat. Wearable clothes are sold to resale markets in developing countries, and unwearable textiles are turned into rags and lower-quality fibers for things like insulation. Clothes given to farmers’ market collections and fast fashion brands through take-back programs usually also end up with these for-profit sorting companies, Bédat said.

About 40% of what the Western world ships to one of the largest resale markets in Accra, Ghana, is considered trash, according to the Or Foundation, which advocates better clothing waste management. Mountains of old clothing have been photographed on beaches, in landfills and in deserts in Africa and Latin America.

“The resale market is being crushed under the weight of the amount of trash, basically, they’re receiving,” said Rachel Kibbe, the chief executive of the fashion consultancy Circular Services Group. “We have these businesses that are becoming de facto waste managers.”

The race to recycle textiles

The new Renewcell factory accepts only pure cotton textile waste, and many clothes are made from synthetic blends. But it will be able to take in a lot of it — more than 120,000 metric tons a year. Around 163,000 metric tons of low-value cotton waste, ripe for chemical recycling, flows annually out of six Western European countries, according to a recent study by Fashion for Good.

Using fabric sourced globally from denim factories and secondhand retailers, the factory produces sheets of dried dissolving pulp, called Circulose, which it sells as the main ingredient for man-made cellulosic fabrics like viscose, rayon and modal.

“We are creating circularity within the fashion industry,” Renewcell CEO Patrik Lundström said. “Today circularity in the fashion industry doesn’t really exist. We have been talking about this environmental impact for the last 20 years. We have very, very little progress so far.”

Renewcell’s founding researchers, ​Mikael Lindstrom and Gunnar Henriksson at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, first developed the technology to process cotton waste in 2012.

The company produced enough recycled fabric for a dress in 2014 and built a demonstration plant in 2017. It attracted the interest of brands like Stella McCartney, which funded a life cycle analysis showing Circulose had the lowest climate impact of 10 different synthetic cellulosic fibers. H&M became a minority shareholder in the company in 2017.

The company went public and was listed in Sweden on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market in 2020. H&M, Levi Strauss and Bestseller, an international clothing chain based in Denmark, have committed to incorporating Circulose into their clothes. (In 2021, Levi’s debuted a capsule collection of jeans that were 16% Circulose.)

“The Circulose that comes out is very valuable because it’s a recycled fabric, but it behaves like virgin,” said Paul Foulkes-Arellano, the founder of Circuthon, a circular economy management consultancy.

Critics point out that the most sustainable thing to do would be to rewear, repair and upcycle fabrics into new clothing, like people did in the 19th century.

Even Renewcell, which runs on hydropower, is not quite closing the loop, because it is not turning cotton into cotton. (Though some brands like Levi’s have used Circulose to partially replace cotton in some products, and lab tests show it can be run through this process up to seven times, similar to paper recycling.)

“Recycling stuff is energy-intensive,” Foulkes-Arellano said. “If we were sensible, we would just cut all the denim up, all the T-shirts up, and just upcycle them into new garments. I mean, there’s a lot of really good upcycled denim companies out there. But big business wants new fabric.”

Rademan estimates it will be at least another decade before anyone will be able to recycle a worn-out sweatshirt the way they can recycle a soda can. She said there is a need for more capital investment in building recycling plants, more commitment from brands to buy recycled fibers, and a commitment from clothing manufacturers to integrate recycled products into the supply chain.

Rademan said in the next 10 years she “would feel comfortable that when I put this sweater in that recycling bin, it is not going to some bad place.” But in the United States, she said, progress depends on the political landscape: “It’s driven by whoever’s in charge.”

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

MassGOP leadership race a mirror to internal division

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A disastrous election showing last month prompted a question among state Republicans: Should the divided party’s next leader be an insider who currently sits on the MassGOP committee or a person from outside the organization?

“I’m someone from the outside so I’m not necessarily caught up in all of the old battles and all of the old grudges,” said Christopher Lyon, a political consultant who declared his candidacy for MassGOP State Committee chair on Wednesday.

“I’m very aware of many of the people, but at the same time I have a bit of an outsider perspective so I think that’s better. When you come in from the outside, you can make the kinds of big changes I think we need. When you have someone from the inside, you kind of get marginal course corrections,” he added.

MassGOP Vice Chair Jay Fleitman, who declared his candidacy the morning after the election, disagreed, saying that he doesn’t think running as an outsider will work to Lyon’s advantage.

“The committee knows me,” Fleitman said. “This particular person is unknown to the party. He may be a bright, shiny thing at this particular moment, but who knows who he is and what he brings to the table. We’ll explore that as time goes on.”

What Lyon and Fleitman, along with two other candidates jockeying for the position, agree on is that the MassGOP committee needs new leadership, with several likening the state’s Republican Party to an underperforming sports team that needs a new manager.

For years, the state’s Republican Party has been divided into two factions, a more conservative wing led by MassGOP Chair and Trump supporter Jim Lyons and another by the moderate outgoing Gov. Charlie Baker.

Lyons, a former state representative who has led the party since 2019, has not said whether he will seek reelection, and did not respond to a request for comment.

Fleitman said Lyons told him prior to the election that he was planning to make a decision this month. Per committee bylaws, a party chair has to be elected in January.

Lyons has not called a date for that election, but he has called a state committee meeting for Dec. 29, when he is expected to discuss the procedures for it, according to Amy Carnevale, a longtime committee member and government affairs advisor who is mulling a run for chair.

Carnevale said she’s still talking to people and working to build a team that would give her the best chance to succeed as chair, should she be elected. She expects to make a decision before Christmas.

“My primary focus would be restoring the image of the party, both as a way to help our candidates successfully run for office, and raise money to support candidates running for reelection to new candidates running for office,” Carnevale said.

Carnevale said she would also bring the focus of the party back to fiscal issues, saying that the party’s defeat on Question 1, or the so-called millionaire’s tax that passed in November, was a “real wakeup call” for Republicans that could have been avoided with strong leadership at the top of the party.

However, Fleitman said Carnevale represents a faction of the party, a direction he said the party should be moving away from when electing its next chair, saying that a committee leader’s personal politics should be “invisible.”

Carnevale denied this claim, saying that she sees herself as someone who’s been “down the middle,” and who can communicate with all Republicans to staunch the infighting that intensified after last month’s failed election.

“I was a Trump delegate twice,” she said. “I voted for Chairman Lyons when he first ran for office because I believed he could be a balance to Gov. Baker. At the same time, though, I have supported Gov. Baker and Gov. Baker’s candidacy and I get along well with more moderate Republicans.”

Jon Fetherston, a former chairman of the Ashland Republican Town Committee who is running for MassGOP chair, said the party needs to establish credibility and start winning elections.

To that end, he said, candidates should be recruited, vetted and trained, and the party’s focus should also include local politics.

“We’re on the cusp of not having a Republican Party in Massachusetts,” Fetherston said, adding that he is prepared to “blow up” the MassGOP and “build it from the ground up.”

Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio opens in Leominster

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LEOMINSTER — Rose Quartz, known as the crystal of unconditional love, is said to boost feelings of self-love and love for others.

The newly opened Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio prides itself not only as a place to be beautified, but a place for clients to relax, destress and feel comfort as soon as you walk through the door.

“When I went to school for cosmetology, I never thought I would have the chance to open my own salon but it was always an aspiration of mine,” said Lauren Digeronimo, hairstylist and owner of Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio. “I’ve had many goals in my 13 year career, several have been reached and there are a few more to go but Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio will always be the biggest achievement of all.”

When planning the salon, Digeronimo says she wanted to create a space that was safe, creative, warm, and homey.

Lauren Digeronimo, hairstylist and owner of Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio, welcomes the community to her creative, warm and cozy studio. (COURTESY KASSIA LEE PHOTOGRAPHY)
Lauren Digeronimo, hairstylist and owner of Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio, welcomes the community to her creative, warm and cozy studio. (COURTESY KASSIA LEE PHOTOGRAPHY)

“This was important for not only our clients but also all current and future stylists/techs,” she said. “Typically salon means a big open space with stylists/techs to receive guests. I chose to use studio instead of salon because Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio is more of an artistic floor/environment for our stylists and techs to create art on our clients whether that be on their hair, nails, lashes and/or body.”

Digeronimo adds that each one of her stylists bring something amazing to the table.

Her team/family includes Mandi Perla, Nicole Arsenault, Amanda Gidopoulos, Jade Tran, Kimiee Guilmette, Kimberly Mitton, Dani Morse, Michaela Moran and Ashleigh Ward.

Digeronimo said, “So no matter what, we can match you with the stylist that will suit you best or you can go ahead and choose whoever you want. With a nail tech specializing in dip and gel manicures and an aesthetician who specializes in lashes and waxing.”

On the menu for your hair is a wash, cut and blowdry, root retouch, full single color, partial highlight, full highlight, balayage/foilyage, bleach root retouch, full bleach out/platinum card, colorblends, toner/gloss, creative colors, Keratin treatments, color corrections, and facial wax.

The studio also offers a Nail Bar featuring a gel manicure, dip manicure, dip manicure with tips, with a touch of nail art if desired.

If you are looking for beautiful eyes for the holiday season (or any other season, in fact), the studio offers three choices of lash extensions, including the classic set, hybrid set, and volume lash set.

“We offer warm towels with aromatherapy at the sink during your wash (if desired) and a beverage/snack station that you can dive into during your services as well,” Digeronimo said.

“The beauty industry can be so competitive,” Digeronimo said. “But my goal is to help guide, teach and provide an environment for growth.”

Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio opened its doors on Nov. 14, with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, along with friends and family.

“It’s exciting to see young entrepreneurs like Lauren who put so much time, energy and money into their business, and that is what we love to support,” Mazzarella said. “This young lady did an incredible job, from her logo to picking out her colors, she is high energy and filled with excitement and when you walk in there you feel that energy and excitement — it’s just a beautiful place.”

The studio is located at 59 New Lancaster Road.

“I chose the name Rose Quartz because it represents healing, kindness and opening your heart to self-love and love for others,” she said. “I feel there is so many people who need more love for themselves and if we can help along that journey, making others feel their absolute best, then that is our main goal and we look forward to welcoming you to our studio.”

For more information on Rose Quartz Hair & Beauty Studio, or to make an appointment for one of their services, you can visit them on Facebook; by calling 978-401-2425 or on their website at msha.ke/rosequartzhairbeautystudio/.