Category Archives: Articles

7 Fashion Styles We Can Adopt to Preserve the Environment

Fast fashion is not sustainable as it depletes a lot of natural resources. It is a major culprit for greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to adverse climatic changes. If only we could change our relationship with fashion, we would be kinder to the environment.

Secondhand Fashion

Secondhand fashion is probably the most sustainable way to go and so looking for recycled or upcycled apparel is a great way to stop contributing to fast fashion. It used to be normal for some people wear clothes for a few weeks and then hang them in their wardrobes, never to be worn again. But nowadays, more and more people are beginning to sell their unwanted clothing which can give it a new lease of life. The same is true for accessories, be they glasses, jewellry, or watches. That is why we have many resale sites for dresses, sportswear, etc, such as valuable-watches.com to name but one example. You can shop for second-hand designer pieces without guilt. Vintage stores, consignment stores, and charity shops offer pre-owned pieces of clothes. The benefits of secondhand clothes extend beyond reducing landfills. They reduce emissions that happen at the production of new merchandise.

Going the Organic Way

Some types of cotton are cultivated with the application of harmful pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals have the potential to create irreversible hazards to the ecosystem and the people living near cotton farms. We can reduce the production of inorganically grown cotton by choosing only 100% organic fabric when shopping for tops, dresses, and pants. Organic cotton is certified by Global Organic Textile Standard- GOTS. This means it is monitored from the cultivation stage to the supply chain. Another awesome alternative is to go for hemp accessories like those available at Carolina Hemp Company (https://www.carolinahempcompany.com/collections/hemp-accessories)! There are all sorts of things made from hemp like backpacks, shoes, clothes, wallets, and so much more, and its production process is much more sustainable.

Skipping Plastic-Based Garments

Polyester garments hurt Mother Nature considering their production methods and disposal. When washed, polyester releases microplastics into the environment. Unfortunately, wastewater treatment facilities cannot filter these microplastics. Other plastic-filled fabrics like polyamide, polyurethane, acrylic, elastane, and nylon, are oil-based. So they are processed into plastic before becoming fabrics. Simply put, we pollute the ocean and natural sources of water when we wash such garments. But we can minimize the impact by skipping them when shopping.

Trend-Proof Wardrobe Staples

Some outfit combos hardly go out of style. These pieces also keep us from the spendthrift syndrome – although, when buying these staple pieces, it’s always good to get a discount, and you can check sites like Raise (click this link) to see what coupons and codes are currently available for popular retailers, like Macy’s. Cool clothes like leather jackets and cotton t-shirts have never gone out of fashion. We don’t need to replace them with trendy pieces every year. While the streets are quick to bring some new wears, this fast-fashion cycle is a costly endeavor to the planet with carbon dioxide emissions. Besides trend-proof staples, we need to identify staple colors. Neutral colors and versatile palettes provide the best styling combos for maximizing the cost-per-wear. Some of the crucial pieces men should consider are a white t-shirt, light blue shirt, dark trousers, denim jeans, smart winter coat, navy and grey sweatshirts, and brown loafers. With a timeless piece, a new season has nothing on us. We will not be carried away by trendy designs. The environment and our pockets will thank us.

Hiring Formal Wear

Renting clothes for special events is getting popular for good reasons. Rather than purchasing new attires that we only need once, we can hire and return them later. Renting is much cheaper as long as we take it back in great condition. It is not just for formal occasions. We can also hire whenever we need to dress up for photoshoots. There are many sites and online applications that lend everything from grail jackets to jeans.

Plant-Based Materials

Apart from organic cotton, there are many other plant-based materials used in cloth making such as hemp, linen, soy, and bamboo. Others like silk are produced from cocoons of the mulberry silkworm larvae. These natural materials are biodegradable, meaning they can decay when dumped. In addition to styling our wardrobes with sustainable outfits, we should buy locally produced clothes. Local businesses are convenient and we can reduce transportation pollution.

Hard-Wearing Fabrics

Quality is key to building a wardrobe staple. We need to distance ourselves from wasteful dressing habits. When shopping, let us normalize picking quality long-lasting materials. Asking what they are made from is a great step to reducing the human footprint. Original leather jackets, for instance, serve us longer after fake ones peel off and crack beyond recognition. Some materials like merino wool have antibacterial properties so we don’t need to wash them after every wear. This extends their lifespan thereby reducing environmental impacts.

If we love our environment, we should try ways to reverse some baffling statistics on clothing waste. By being more style-conscious, we can create sustainable wardrobes. It is high time we start changing our dressing style by using incorporating greener fabrics. Even the smallest changes can lead us in the right direction in making the fashion industry more eco-friendly.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bank Loans

February 13, 2021

Theresa Watkins

Bank loans are designed to help us in times of financial struggle, with websites like https://www.towerloan.com/lending/installment-loans/ being used for this help. They help us to survive financially by allowing us to borrow enough money to settle our bills. That said, there are several types of bank loans, among which the most popular ones are home and business loans. The former is opted by individuals usually when they want to purchase properties like new construction homes, but the prices are so high that their savings might prove insufficient in front of the creeping costs.

In business, however, bank loans are available to be used in purchasing equipment, inventory and to obtain the funds and operation capital for our business expansions. Also, bank loans are regarded as reliable and honored methods to finance our business, either big or small. However, they cannot be obtained that easily. Bank loans can only be obtained if we have a long history of credit worthiness and can produce collateral as a guarantee for banks and finance firms. Aside from that, some banks are strict when it comes to their bank loan offers, which is why many people opt for bridging loans instead.

Given that, as citizens and probably business owners, weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of having bank loans must be considered. In this way, regrets can be avoided in the end, and more success can be met. Below are only some of the top advantages and disadvantages of bank loans in our life both as citizens and business owners. So, let’s start!

Advantages of Bank Loans

More Control in the Business

The first advantage of bank loans is that it can give us more control in the business. With bank loans, we can borrow an amount that we can use to improve our business, as well as its capability to provide more services or products to the valued customers. Now, as we already borrowed an amount from a bank, we can control the operation of our business, its plan, and its goals in the future. As we hold the money for these things to happen, we are poised to ensure that our business becomes successful.

Moreover, unlike equity finance, bank personnel do not become involved in a business’s operations or decisions. Thus, the control of the business is still left to its owners.

It is only temporary

Next, if we borrowed an amount from a bank through a loan and we finished paying it on time and contract, it will literally come to an end. So, bank accounts are temporary depending on the amount we borrowed, as well as the agreed amount of dividend payments in a certain period. Once we have finished paying our loan, we will no longer be obliged to be involved with the bank lenders and the bank itself. With this, we can enjoy more of the running of our business while we earn.

Tax-Deductible Interest

Lastly, bank loans have tax-deductible interests. Additionally, this is best with fixed-rate loans wherein interest rates are not changing during the course of the loan. With that, loan service payments will remain the same throughout the period of the loan. Also, with these, it can make be easier for us to plan and budget our monthly loan payments. With the additional help from a spreadsheet for computing our future payments in the business, our business life can be managed easily and effectively.

Enough with the advantages, let us now proceed to the disadvantages of bank loans.

Disadvantages of Bank Loans

Tough to Qualify

The top and greatest disadvantage that we can possibly encounter with bank loans are that it is tough to qualify. Here, it will be hard for us and our business unless there is a valuable collateral or a substantial track record such as real estate. This is because banks are being careful when it comes to their clients. They see to it that the clients have the capability to pay loans and to ensure that there will be no losses or defaults. Moreover, business borrowers will be required to provide personal guarantees wherein assets are seized when failure or being unable to pay the loans result.

Even if you are not looking for a business loan and want a personal loan, it could be tough to qualify for it due to the same reason mentioned above. Nevertheless, if you are in desperate need of money for your personal use, then there are other options you could look at. For instance, you can talk to a relative who has a good reputation for loaning money to family (of course, that person might have a huge cash reserve that allows him to lend money to kins in distress). Keep in mind that borrowing money from family can be an easier way of getting out of financial tensions. (Remember that you need to repay it to the concerned individual within the given time frame).

Truth be told, the problem with banks is that it might take the institution weeks to fund the loan from the time you apply for it. This can be a problem for real estate companies that require a quick turnaround. Due to the uniqueness of each piece of real estate, sellers may receive multiple competing offers. The ability to make a quick payment could mean the difference between obtaining or losing the property. That is why borrowers tend to look for other options as well, such as bridge loans. The primary reason that hard money lenders act faster than banks is that bridge lenders fund loans more quickly than banks. The speed with which bridge loans are approved and funded can put real estate investors ahead of the competition.

High-Interest Rates

When it comes to businesses, there can be an increase in terms of the interest rates as well as insufficient bank funding. High-interest rates in bank loans will never help with funding a business. Instead, it will only make it more difficult for us when repaying the loan. So, we better be wise when choosing a bank that offers bank loans with interest rates.

Simple Practices to Extend the Lifespan of Home Furniture

February 8, 2021

Theresa Watkins

Articles Home and Reno No Comments

Furniture is the backdrop to our home living. It gives a complete look to our spaces, no matter how big or small. For sitting, sleeping, and storage, we cannot deny the importance of having beautiful furnishings in our home as you can get from https://www.luluandgeorgia.com/furniture. Besides their functional role, these fittings help with interior design, improving the overall beauty and value of the rooms. But we often forget the simple things to keep furniture in pristine condition. Here are some invaluable hacks on how to make furniture last longer.

Keeping it Neat

A lot of the time, our furniture is not as old as it looks. Rather, dirty residues are the reasons behind their sloppy appearance. We must commit ourselves to cleaning our chairs and tables regularly. Tidying up adds new life to our furniture pieces and spares resources we would otherwise use to buy new items. When we do buy new things, be it with the help of a useful rug size guide from Bazaar Velvet or through other means, we should work to maintain them for as long as possible. There are a few fundamental tips we should apply to maintain furniture.

Seeking help from professional deep cleaners, especially to take care of upholstered furniture. You can find plenty of companies that specialize in Upholstery Cleaning Melbourne area, but there will also be some in your local area.
Loosening and flipping pillows even if they have a fabric protector. They should be rotated once in a while to reduce soiling
Cleaning spills immediately using blot papers or absorbent cloths
Using furniture-specific rather than all-purpose cleaners. Leather needs special products for stain removal

Removal of Ugly Scratches

Metallic and wooden furnishings can get scratches that never go away on their own. Finding a way to remove these scratches is a great step to maintaining your furniture. Here are a few tips to cover up the flaws.

Painting to mask minor scratches
Use of DIY wax remover, water, and white vinegar to eliminate old wax on the scratched places
Sandpaper to scrape the surface and level it
Rubbing wax crayons across the scratched surface. The crayon should be of the same shade as the furniture
Rubbing light-colored wooden parts with lemon
Rubbing dark-colored parts with nuts

Vacuuming Fabric-Protected Seats and Tables

The surface of a couch that is coated with a fabric protector must be vacuumed regularly. We should pay close attention to the areas underneath cushions, using a vacuum cleaner’s upholstery attachment. The same goes for coffee tables that gather a lot of dust on top. There is a big problem with settling dust as it builds up slowly together with oil and moisture. By the time we realize this, it has already soiled and aged the material. Luckily, there are numerous fabric protection treatments we can use to coat the fibres to protect surfaces from soiling and staining.

Tightening and Securing Joints

With time, screws and nuts loosen and might pop up unexpectedly. In some circumstances, they could even fall out, meaning that you don’t have anything keeping your furniture together. To prevent this from happening, looking for a nuts and bolts perth company, or somewhere similar, and buying spare parts will ensure that you always have a backup plan in case something were to go wrong. With that being said, loose bolts are the reason we endure wobbly benches and creaky sounds in bed. If we don’t tighten them, we end up with irreparable damage to chairs and other fittings.

UV Protection

Direct sunlight is an enemy to our furniture. UV rays can do serious harm even if they pass through glass windows. Generally, harsh sunlight fades just about anything including fabricated seats and wooden surfaces. That is why we should place furniture away from windows or make good use of drapes and blinds to reduce the impact of sun rays. We can also shop for made to measure curtains (for example, black out curtains made with thick fabric). These could help block almost 90 percent of the light coming through our windows. The best part is we get to customize these curtains based on our preference. How cool is that! We can also use other tips that experts suggest to help with this.

Slipcovers

Like fabric protectors, slipcovers create a barrier between the surroundings and the furniture to keep off stains and scratching. Slipcovers not only safeguard the outer surfaces from messes but also preserve the integrity of the upholstery, so it doesn’t wear off. Since slipcovers are removable, we can throw them in the washing machine when they become too dirty.

Reviving the Sheen

Wooden surfaces lose their lustre after a while but we don’t need to replace them when this occurs. Polishing the hardware with eco-friendly products is the right way to go. We should avoid such ingredients as ammonia because they are quite abrasive. While polishing, it is good to protect the surrounding finishes with masking tape. Though a bit pricey, polishing adds some life to aging furniture.

Extreme Care When Moving

Once in a while, we have to switch things up by rearranging the living room, dining table, or bed position. A lot of damages happen while using incorrect techniques to move furniture. Dragging and pushing are wrong, especially when the furniture is heavy. Not only does improper handling wreak havoc on the fittings but also damages the floor. Getting help with assembling and changing fixtures is a wise decision. Rather than pushing the bed, we should lift it to keep the hinges intact.

So, let us pass on the above rules to all household members so we can protect our furniture. By doing so, we should be able to enjoy our furnishings for longer, saving money and reducing the environmental impact as a result.