Projects
the denim project
The statistics on denim are staggering, 1.2 billion pairs are purchased annually. It uses 7000L of water to make one pair.The fashion industry is the 2nd biggest contributor to pollution. Up to 30% of denim produced is not purchased. 50% of fast fashion is discarded within a year. Fabrics including denim make up 5% of landfill.
So we collect denim, the best goes to upcycling projects, like fashion and homeware, then the more worn goes to pencil cases, we use small pieces for tassels, buttons and then when every usable piece is used the scraps go to stuffing. Nothing goes to waste.
upcycling
All our raw materials are sustainable and responsibly sourced.
Denim is our main medium, aged and faded, yet still strong and durable it makes a rich, interesting fabric to work with. Accentuating the details that have been created from time and wear we create one -off, unique, interesting items.
We also use old worn pieces to make denim ribbon, buttons and tassels, which are used to embellish our knit wear and other accessories.
pencil cases
Our dream is to supply all foundation stage children with a “forever” pencil case, something that will see them through their entire school career carrying everything from the waxies in Grade 1 to their scientific calculators in High School.
At our launch we collected 74 pairs of donated worn denims. We also asked our guests to sponsor a pencil case for R50.00, which allowed us to fill the bags with waxies, a pencil, an eraser and a sharpener. We collected R12500, that evening.
In keeping with our vision we went to The Sewing Café in Masiphumele, a community based NPO that teaches sewing and used their CMT that supports the training division to make up our bags.
With the schools shut due to Covid 19, we linked up with The Lifematters foundation, a NPO that runs literacy and numeracy educational programmes in under resourced schools. They were putting a “schoolinabag” project together for their 505 learners. We managed to secure further funding and denim and were able to donate all 505 pencil cases with stationery to them.
Now in 2021 we have committed to donating to Capricorn Primary, pencil cases and stationery for their Grade 1‘s and 2’s, and a pencil case and calculator for their Grade 7’s, and we are in the process of enrolling other schools.
It seems simple, a pencil case, but it helps for keeping all the stationery safe and together, so that when it comes to class time each child has the essentials on the desk, improving time wastage and workflow. These pencil cases are also a symbol of hope to these children who have so little. We see this project as ongoing and plan for bigger and more rollouts each year.