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Forget about what’s in the bag, it’s what it’s made of that is ‘Toogood’ not to be true.
Sustainable Papakura recently celebrated production of its 10,000th upcycled shopping bag, all made from recycled material.
Some other bags can be used many times but, ultimately, they will end up in landfills. However, Sustainable Papakura’s last longer… almost infinitely, Rosemary Nash explains.
“In 2017, there was lots of discussion about getting rid of plastic shopping bags. Our option for a replacement is called a ‘boomerang bag.’ People can use them, return them and because they can be repaired, there’s no real limit to how long they can be of use,” Nash says.
“They’re made overseas, but we wanted a New Zealand/Aotearoa name for them, which is why they’re called Awhio Mai Peke, which means ‘the bag that goes round and round.’”
Handmade by volunteers using donated and repurposed fabric, Awhio Mai Peke helps reduce single-use waste while supporting local Papakura businesses with practical and durable bags. Even the style of the bags is intended to limit waste.
“When we’re cutting, the size and shape of the bag depends on the size and shape of the material. This way, we make sure little (if any) material is wasted.”
As most of us would be aware, old clothing shouldn’t be disposed of through our recycling bins. This does mean that many garments – especially if they’re damaged – end up in landfills, but there’s a pattern for change.
“A little more than two tonnes of fabric has been diverted from landfills through the production of our 10,000 bags alone, but there’s also a project in Manurewa looking at specialised machinery to reconstitute material, fabric, into something usable. It’s not there yet, but it’s on its way and it will make a huge difference,” says Nash.
“There’s a growing trend in the fashion industry to look at what can be done differently, but also a lack of people with sewing skills. So, we do need training pathways to support the [recycling] industry.”
Sharing such skills is another string to Sustainable Papakura’s bow, running weekly workshops focused on everything from sewing to pickling, planting and even a repair cafe. Fortunately (for the planet) places at these workshops are in high demand, so people are advised to book early.
Awhio Mai Peke and other recycled/upcycled products are available from Sustainable Papakura’s shop – the bags are also available at select Papakura businesses. Visit sustainablepapakura.org for more information.
