October 11, 2016

In an effort to decrease textile waste, students taking Medicine Hat College’s (MHC) Entrepreneurial Experience and Effective Speaking for the Office courses will be using cast-off clothing to create new products for the annual Innovate Tournament.

The tournament, which is in its sixth year, will take place on October 20, 2016 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on campus.

As part of their class assignment, students are asked to take an everyday object and create, measure and communicate its value in our economy and society. Their work is presented in three minute videos and showcased at the event in a film festival environment. In past years, they have created products using plastic bags, coffee pods and paperclips.

According to Miranda Davies, business instructor, the students never cease to amaze the judges.

“This project allows students to think in an entrepreneurial way. We are always impressed with how innovative their creations are and the commitment they show throughout the whole assignment. They are not only asked to create a product, but also to sell it, pick a charity of choice to donate the profits to and then present their case on video.” 

The panel of judges include three local entrepreneurs, the manager of business development and the Entrepreneur Development Centre, and a representative from JMH & Co - this year’s event sponsor.

When asked why this year’s object was used clothing, Davies explains that waste is a growing concern.

“For the most part people do resell or donate their clothes to charities, however textiles of lower quality, may end up as wiping rags in shops and eventually make their way to the landfills. We wanted to create an awareness of the environmental impact that this might have, and see what solutions our students come up with to deal with this concern.”

For information on the business programs available at MHC visit www.mhc.ab.ca.