John Ritzenthaler debuts eco kitchen line

By Cecile B. Corral -- Home Textiles Today, 3/8/2009 3:54:00 PM

At the New York Market -- The John Ritzenthaler Co. is following its own advice to “reuse, reduce, rethink, renew and recycle” with the launch of its earth-friendly 100% Recycle collection of kitchen textiles.

This new program is the company’s latest take on the eco movement, this time set at more “value pricing” ranges, said Elissa Vogt, vp, marketing. “Our 100% Recycled products fall within our basically moderate price ranges.” By that, she indicated $3.99 for a kitchen towel and $14.99 to $16.99 for an adult apron. “They are not priced as high as our organic cotton or bamboo products, for example.”

Made of 100% recycled cotton, the collection is anchored by one full ensemble grouping that incorporates all of the components -- an adult apron, a child apron, kitchen towels, a thumb mitt and a potholder. Titled Organic Planet, this design features eco-oriented images like trees, the earth, water, the three-arrow recycling symbol, singing birds and butterflies paired with eco-messages like “A green home is a happy home” -- all depicted in soft blues and greens on a white ground.

There are several other patterns -- all of them printed -- included in the line. They are: B.Y.O.B., or Bring Your Own Bag; Green isn’t just my favorite color; Tree Hugger; There is no planet b; and Reuse, Reduce, Rethink, Renew, Recycle.

Each of the products, which are packaged to be sold separately, come in a variety of these patterns. The tote bags come in five designs, the adult aprons in four, the child-size aprons in two, kitchen towels in three, and the holiday/Christmas kitchen towels in four -- one of them of a snowman begging “Stop Global Warming.”
“We were trying to lessen the impact on the environment and we want to offer people products that are also beautiful as well,” Debby Sterner, vp design told HTT. “I think people will buy them because they like the look.”

The John Ritzenthaler Co. is based in West Conshohocken, Pa.