JEANBAG: TURNING OLD JEANS INTO BEAN BAGS
I met KT Doyle, the founder and designer behind JEANBAG, at the Peppermint PepTalks event earlier this year - there were so many amazing people there that night! We only had a quick chat but she told me about her incredible business and I'm finally getting around to writing about it. Not only is KT an artist, she describes herself as a dreamer, believer and wander too. She has always been one to be conscious of her consumption and making artwork is her form of expression. After entering a local recycling competition, her life changed forever.
"JEANBAG WAS FOUNDED WITH A PASSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND A LITTLE IDEA… TO TRANSFORM DENIM JEANS, DESTINED FOR LANDFILL, INTO BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL PRODUCTS FOR YOUR HOME."
At JEANBAG, they care about not only just the planet, but people too, and believe that everyone should have access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment. They honour the labour, skill, time and resources that goes into making each and every pair of denim jeans. It takes 20 steps and 15 hours and 7 pairs of denim jeans to make JEANBAGS - craziness! Every JEANBAG product is unique and every product is custom-made using the perfect colour, size and shape of denim fabric from recycled jeans. They directly help divert denim waste from landfill and source all their denim from local charity organisations with recycling operations like The Endeavour Foundation and the RSPCA. Through their percentage of sales program they support organisations tackling environmental degradation in landcare, waterway management and recycling.
As an approved and registered member of One Percent for the Planet, JEANBAG donates 1% of all their sales to a network of non-profit organisations dedicated to protecting the earth and its natural resources. One of their main non-profit partners is Rainforest Rescue, who purchase high conservation value rainforest and protect its biodiversity through planting, maintenance and restoration. Through their 1% donations, JEANBAG helps Rainforest Rescue plant seedlings to restore valuable and threatened Daintree rainforest. To date, Rainforest Rescue has restored more than 100 hectares of Queensland’s threatened Daintree Rainforest and planted over 250,000 trees.
You can check out JEANBAG products on their website as well as give them a follow on their Instagram!