The Video Revived - Retro Crochet Beach Bag

Description

Introducing our extraordinary Video Revived Beach Bag, a true embodiment of creativity and sustainability. Handcrafted with a fusion of waste video tape and 'plarn' (yarn from plastic waste), complemented by vibrant African print cotton shoulder straps, this bag is a remarkable testament to repurposing materials and celebrating African heritage.

Our skilled artisans have ingeniously transformed discarded video tapes, giving them new life as the captivating tapestry of this beach bag. The combination of the upcycled tapes and 'plarn' creates a visually stunning and unique texture, while the African print cotton shoulder straps add a touch of colourful flair, representing the rich cultural heritage of the continent.

The Video Revived Beach Bag is not only a visual delight but also a practical companion for your beach adventures. With its spacious interior, you can effortlessly pack your beach essentials, from towels and sunscreen to snacks and a good book. The sturdy African print cotton shoulder straps ensure comfortable carrying, allowing you to embrace your unique style while enjoying the sand and surf.

By choosing this Video Revived Beach Bag, you contribute to a sustainable future and support our artisans and their communities. Through their skilful craftsmanship, they breathe new life into discarded materials, reducing waste and promoting environmental consciousness. Moreover, the use of African print cotton fabric highlights and honours the rich cultural heritage of the continent, empowering local communities.

Every purchase of our Video Revived Beach Bag directly supports these talented artisans, providing them with fair wages and meaningful employment. By investing in their craft, you play a vital role in creating positive social change and preserving traditional art forms.

Choose this Beach Bag and carry the story of repurposed materials, the spirit of African heritage, and a commitment to a brighter future. Join us in celebrating the artistry, sustainability, and cultural diversity behind this exceptional bag.

Specifications

Dimensions: 36cm x 35 cm. Shoulder strap drop length: 35cm

Fair Trade

Social Enterprise

Upcycled materials & cotton

Handcrafted in The Gambia

Story

The story of Isatou Ceesay: Climate Hero who turned waste into wealth & changed lives...

“A strong woman stands up for herself, A stronger woman stands up for everyone else.”

Isatou Ceesay has been commended alongside Emma Watson as one of THE Five female activists who are changing the world. Here is how she did it...

Isatou's community was grappling with escalating waste issues. In impoverished regions like The Gambia, regular waste collection services are non-existent, leaving no alternative but to let it accumulate in the streets. Since her early memories, Isatou observed her village residents discarding their rubbish behind their homes. In her childhood, she used to carry groceries in a basket, but plastic bags became the norm. However, these bags wreaked havoc, causing harm to animals, triggering malaria outbreaks due to mosquito breeding, and inhibiting vegetable growth in contaminated soil. To make matters worse, Isatou witnessed her friends resorting to burning plastic as a fuel source for cooking, unaware of the toxic fumes emitted, posing health risks. Despite the enormity of the waste problem, Isatou's ws determined to take action.

Isatou's sister had taught her to crochet, sparking an idea to upcycle the problematic plastic bags into valuable items. She formed a women's group, collecting and washing bags from the rubbish pile. They transformed the bags into "plarn" (plastic yarn) and skillfully crocheted small purses, each taking around eight hours to make and utilizing approximately 10 plastic bags. The women were thrilled with their creations.

The women continued with their tiny business, now also making shoulder bags and cosmetic purses from plarn. Many of them were earning money for the first time, and they were able to use it to buy food to help their families through the ‘hungry gap’ – the three months in the year when there were few crops from their farmland.

Women in her village were now able to save some money, and Isatou helped them to open their own bank accounts. With their savings, many of the women could afford to support their families. Their daughters could continue into secondary school and they could pay for medical treatment. The women helped their community, too, each contributing some of their earnings to start a community garden to grow vegetables, and to help pay for orphans to go to school.

In 2012, Isatou won a Making a World of Difference Award from the International Alliance for Women. Her social enterprise 'Women’s Initiative Gambia' has trained over 11,000 people all over her country in the dangers of plastic and the opportunities for upcycling waste.

Isatou Ceesay, became known as “Queen of Recycling,” the woman who started the recycling movement called One Plastic Bag in the Gambia. The organisation works with communities across the tiny west African state to address not only the environmental impact of unregulated waste disposal, particularly plastic, but also the empowerment of women in the male dominated society. It employs hundreds of West African women and provides them with monthly income. At the time she set up the project, back in 1998, she was met with much resistance and ridiculed. Today Ceesay works to educate citizens about recycling and reducing the amount of waste that is created.

Where others saw a problem, Isatou saw an opportunity – an opportunity to create a healthier environment, but above all an opportunity to change people’s lives.