Hout Bay women transform bread bags into handbags and hats

Two Hout Bay women are transforming bread sacks into multifunctional bags as part of team project to celebrate Global Recycling Day next week. 

Global Recycling Day takes place annually on Tuesday March 18 and aims to raise awareness about the importance of recycling for the environment, according to global recycling day's website. 

Previously, Sentinel reported that Joanna Mnisi, Sakile Ndlovu, Dameris Makovere, Tapiwa Likona, Betty Masamba and Patience Liyema had turned 580 tapes donated by the public into a kelp sculpture to promote the importance of recycling ('Women turn 580 audio tapes into art'). 

The women work for Re.Bag.Re.Us, a Hout Bay community initiative that finds new and creative uses for discarded plastic bags.

"Recycling breaks materials down into their core elements to create something entirely new. For example: glass bottles become new glass jars and windows and aluminium cans can be used as bicycle frames and airplane parts.

However, up-cycling keeps materials as they are, simply transforming them into something useful like glass bottles being used as decorative vases or drinking glasses," said the organisation’s founder, Regine le Roux.

Sentinel spoke with two women from Hout Bay, Tapiwa Likona and Maud Chirawu, who are busy with the bread bag project. 

Ms Likona said she was inspired to join the Re.Bag.Re.Us team after seeing an ad on Facebook about empowering women of the community during the lockdown.

"It started as a small group of about six ladies. Regine joined a few of the sessions and showed us different materials that we could use to crochet with, one of which was empty bread bags. That was four years ago. 

I'm finding this project as therapy to myself especially when I need ‘me time’ without a disruption. It puts food on the table, keeps me busy and I also find that it helps me to focus. I am inspired by the idea of repurposing plastic into something useful," she said.

Ms Chirawu says she enjoys knitting and was introduced to the project by her sister.

"I find this bread bag project amazing! It helps to keep my mind and hands active, it takes me back to my childhood. I feel happy when I’m creating something and working with plastic.

"Right now, we have five cutters and 17 crocheters, each working on different projects. A percentage of every sale also supports the Neighbourhood Old Age Home (NOAH) and the SPCA, allowing us to give back and spread the love even further," she said. 

For more information visit www.rebagreuse.com.