(Photos: Dave McCabe)
You know how when you’re riding around and you see a lonely glove lying in the gutter? Ever wondered what could/should be done with those?
Well, northeast Portland residents Dave McCabe and Heather Morrill have created a fun new project that has hit the shelves of the Community Cycling Center’s bike shop on NE 17th and Alberta: It’s the “glove orphanage.’
Like its name implies, the project recycles gloves found on the road, cleans them up (“re-pairs” them), matches them with another orphan glove, and sells them for $1 to benefit the CCC’s non-profit work.
Dave describes the project like this: “The gLove orphanage matches up single gloves to make new pairs. It’s a form of direct recycling and it helps save money for folks in the bike community who are strapped for cash.”
And the project has been very well received so far. This spring, a pilot project to test the market was successful. “They sold out surprisingly quickly,” Dave said. He and Heather have an ample supply right now, but they’ll be looking for more orphan gloves as fall rolls around. So, next time you see an orphan glove lying on the ground, pick it up and drop it off at the CCC on 17th and Alberta.
Dave sent in these photos of he and Heather’s orphaned glove workshop:
Check out the Glove Orphanage website for more info.