Wet weather warriors a boost for charity

A wine company’s clothing revamp is set to benefit a Blenheim charity shop.

Whitehaven Wines’ inhouse work wear is getting a rebrand.

And the company has now joined forces with The Blue Door to ensure their older gear goes to a good home.

The move means high-visibility jackets, pants and gumboots will be finding their way more regularly to the shop.

Whitehaven representative Daniel Lynch says that finding a channel for reusing their older kit, and future kit that can’t be reused, was key to their equipment upgrade.

“By having kit organised and standardised on our side for all of our employees, we know on cold or wet Marlborough days our staff aren’t left without,” says Daniel.

“Over vintage, when we have 15 plus staff coming in from a shift and another 15 plus going out, we want to know everyone has equipment, because we don’t want them to be sharing wet kit either.”

He says handing out kit to new employees is also a great way to make them feel like part of the team immediately.

“It will also be quite cool for us to be able to hand standard kit to someone on the first day of their contract like a sports team.”

Whitehaven is upgrading inhouse equipment so future employees can be provided with matching equipment against rain and cold in the winery.

But finding a way to recycle their older gear had initial proved problematic, Daniel says.

“By having this reuse relationship with the Blue Door, it means we know our stuff can go a lot longer and directly benefit locals and a worthwhile local organization.”

Blue Door chairperson Stephen Leitch was pleased to have the initial relationship underway and hopes to have more wineries jump aboard the scheme.

“It’s great to be able to build these relationships to ensure less waste goes into landfills and instead finds a new home.

“Things like work clothes and work boots are always in demand so that was another huge positive for us”.

“The Whitehaven team has been a great start to finding more ways to make sustainable choices, and I hope we are able to expand this much further as we go forward.”