A group of women in Leopold are turning everything from discarded curtains to old baby clothes into bags in a bid to reduce plastic.
Part-time Indented Head musician Sarah Lynn joined the group through a work for the dole program to supplement her income.
“While the weekend work is good, it doesn’t pay all the bills,” the 24-year-old said.
“There’s a lot of jobs that you could be set up with that are not very nice environments to be in.
“But this really made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile.”
The group’s ingenuity in using almost any type of waste fabric often amazed her, she said.
“I’ve even seen curtain fabric being used or baby clothing that people didn’t want. If it’s a small amount of material we use it for patchwork.”
The group, Boomerang Bags Leopold, make the durable fabric bags as retailers begin to phase out single-use plastic in a bid to halt its harmful environmental effects.
“They’re very unlikely to break,” Sarah said.
“They’re a bit trendier than your average green bag and the way they double stitch the handles makes them very strong.”
The group could make up to 50 or 60 bags a day, according to coordinator Sue Bick.
“We wouldn’t get involved if we didn’t have passion for it,” she said.
A $300 grant from Barwon South West Waste and Resource Recovery Group for a screen printer three years ago was a game-changer for the group, Sue revealed.
She encouraged other local environmental groups to apply for Can Do Communities grants of up $500 by visiting www.reduce-recycle.com.au
Luke Voogt
