SECAUCUS, NJ — The mantra for environmental sustainability, “reduce, reuse and recycle,” is reflected in the offerings of Rose Brand’s Discount Store. The ability to reuse, rather than manufacture anew and then discard, such items as fabrics and curtains is one of the reasons Broadway scenic designer Donyale Werle (Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) browses the offerings there. And as its name implies, the items are also available at a discount.
More details from Rose Brand (www.rosebrand.com):
“I usually look there first when selecting fabrics and curtains for my productions,” Werle says. “In fact, I’ll often change my design to accommodate what’s currently available.”
Since the Discount Store inventory consists of a lot of one-of-a-kind items that can turn over quickly, Ms. Werle often specifies two or three options for any given item that she needs. This helps her mitigate the impact of a two-week lag between the time she specifies products for purchase and the time they’re actually acquired. Usually at least one of the specified items is still for sale at the end of that two-week period.
Ms. Werle is a huge proponent of sustainability. She much prefers to use an item out of the Discount Store, previously sewn for another engagement, than to order something new. This works for her on two levels, in terms of both reuse and saving money. Often the dollars saved will go towards the purchase of other sustainable items, which can sometimes be more costly upfront than non-sustainable goods.
