Going green for graduation: UNT students wear biodegradable gowns

By UNT News Service, North Texas e-News, Dec. 17, 2009

DENTON (UNT), Texas — Commencement ceremonies honoring the accomplishments of about 2,800 students will be held Dec. 18 and 19 (Friday and Saturday) on the University of North Texas campus. This fall, 2,256 undergraduate students applied for December graduation, in addition to 478 master's students and 59 doctoral students.

While the students walking across the stage this December may look similar to students from previous years, there will be one notable difference: some of this year’s students will be wearing biodegradable gowns.

Offered through the UNT Bookstore, the Jostens Elements Collection graduation gowns will decompose in soil in one year. The acetate fabric fiber of the gowns is made from natural wood sourced from renewable forests. In addition, the zipper is made from fully recycled polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic typically used for consumer goods like soft drink bottles. The packaging of the gowns also contains materials from ECM BioFilms, which makes it easier for the bag to decompose.

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