- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Women create colourful accessories out of recycled plastic bags
- Date: 27th March 2013
- Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) PAN OF WASTE COLLECTING SITE IN JEDDAH CITY VARIOUS OF WOMAN COLLECTING NYLON AND PLASTIC WOMAN PLACING BLACK PLASTIC BAG ON SCALE CLOSE-UP OF SCALE CLOSE-UP OF HANDS COUNTING MONEY DAYANA RAYAN (RIGHT) FROM THE TROCHET GROUP (TRASH + CROCHET) PAYING WOMAN FOR THE PLASTIC BAGS WOMAN PLACING LARGE PLASTIC BAG ON BACK OF TRUCK VARIOUS OF WOMEN SEPARATING USED PLASTIC BAGS ACCORDING TO COLOURS PAN OF LARGE BAGS FILLED WITH USED PLASTIC BAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DAYANA RAYAN, FOUNDER OF THE TROCHET GROUP (TRASH + CROCHET), SAYING: ''The idea started in 2009 when I attended a lecture at the Chamber of Commerce about World Earth Day, one of the speakers spoke about the damage caused by plastic. And really this was a shock for me, I didn't know about the damage caused from plastic bags.'' PLASTIC BAGS IN BASKET HAND PUTTING PLASTIC BAGS INTO SPINNING WASHING MACHINE WOMAN PUTTING PLASTIC BAGS INTO WASHING MACHINE WOMAN HANGING THE WASHED PLASTIC BAGS ON ROPE VARIOUS OF WASHED PLASTIC BAGS HUNG ON ROPE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DAYANA RAYAN, FOUNDER OF THE TROCHET GROUP (TRASH + CROCHET), SAYING: ''After I did a search on what we could make out of plastic bags and I liked the idea of collecting them and doing crochet to produce innovative products, so we started to look for women who can do crochet, and we found a number of them and asked them about this idea, then we started making small samples to distribute at a market, so as to see the reaction from the community. The results were excellent and really positive.'' WOMEN SITTING AT TABLE PREPARING PLASTIC BAGS FOR CUTTING VARIOUS OF WOMAN CUTTING PLASTIC BAGS WORKING SPACE WITH WOMEN WORKING WITH PLASTIC BAGS CLOSE-UP OF HAND DRAWING DESIGN ON PAPER DAYANA RAYAN SITTING WITH OTHER WOMEN DRAWING A DESIGN WOMEN WEAVING PLASTIC BAGS BY HAND CLOSE-UP OF HANDS WEAVING PLASTIC BAGS CLOSE-UP OF WOMAN'S FACE VARIOUS OF WOMAN WEAVING PLASTIC BAGS PRODUCTS MADE FROM PLASTIC BAGS BLUE MAT MADE FROM PLASTIC BAGS VARIOUS OF BAGS, HAT AND OTHER PRODUCTS MADE FROM PLASTIC BAGS CLOSE-UP OF PINK HAT MADE FROM PLASTIC BAGS WOMEN LOOKING AT BAGS MADE FROM PLASTIC BAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HILANA AL ZUA'BI, CUSTOMER AND FRIEND OF THE GROUP, SAYING: ''Really, when they asked me for my opinion of the plastic bags and the start of this project, I really didn't expect such results and products, and that you can produce more than one thing. But when I saw all the things that were made, I was surprised, it's great and I really like it.'' GIRL TAKING PICTURE OF ANOTHER GIRL HOLDING ONE OF THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS CLOSE-UP OF WOMAN HOLDING UP A PLASTIC PRODUCT TWO WOMEN WEAVING PLASTIC BAGS WRITING READING IN ARABIC: "GIVE ME A NYLON BAG, I GIVE YOU A PRODUCT" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DAYANA RAYAN, FOUNDER OF THE TROCHET GROUP (TRASH + CROCHET), SAYING: ''After a short period of time we started receiving orders for products, much more than we expected. So in only a month, I can see that this could be converted into a factory with 500 to 1000 women, and of course, this is something certain.'' MAN AND HIS WIFE BROWSING THROUGH PLASTIC PRODUCTS PINK SHELF MADE FROM PLASTIC BAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OSAMAH NATO, MAN IN CHARGE OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE TROCHET GROUP, SAYING: "We in Trochet group have achieved three primary goals. The first goal is to recycle waste and thus serve the environment, the second goal is to provide jobs for the families that need them, and the third is to produce a good quality local product that can become a global brand.'' WOMAN DISTRIBUTING CERTIFICATES TO PEOPLE IN HONOUR OF TROCHET GROUP'S SUCCESS
- Embargoed: 11th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Business,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVA3L38I0MIEHNXFV6CGDHQYT9WR
- Story Text: A social project in Saudi Arabia is turning unwanted plastic bags into accessories, helping the environment while providing jobs for local families in need.
Dayana Rayan, the creator of Trochet Group (Trash + Crochet), came up with the idea after learning about the harmful damage plastic waste has on the environment.
''The idea started in 2009 when I attended a lecture at the Chamber of Commerce about World Earth Day, one of the speakers spoke about the damage caused by plastic. And really this was a shock for me, I didn't know about the damage caused from plastic bags," says Rayan.
She then discovered that some non-profit organizations were helping women generate incomes in countries like the U.K., India and the Philippines by crocheting plastic bags into profitable crafts, and decided to implement a similar scheme in Saudi Arabia.
''After I did a search on what we could make out of plastic bags and I liked the idea of collecting them and doing crochet to produce innovative products, so we started to look for women who can do crochet, and we found a number of them and asked them about this idea, then we started making small samples to distribute at a market, so as to see the reaction from the community. The results were excellent and really positive," she says.
The concept is simple. Rayan buys plastic bags that women collect from waste sites, and gets the women to crochet them into functional, sellable goods -- a concept she calls "trochet", a fusion of the two words "trash" and "crochet".
The Trochet project is a part of Ateeq, a social initiative launched by Rayan that aims to "rekindle often-neglected traits such as quality, perfection, and authenticity in creative work under the slogan of 'Mind to Hand'", according to the organizers.
It also aims to "convert individuals from being pure consumers to being producers."
"Ateeq" means old-fashioned or vintage in Arabic.
Trochet is supported by individuals and businesses alike and relies on volunteers who participate in various stages of the project, from "planning, designing, executing, organizing, accounting, project management, branding, marketing and handling legal issues", says the organizers.
The high quality and creativity of Trochet products have taken some by surprise.
''Really, when they asked me for my opinion of the plastic bags and the start of this project, I really didn't expect such results and products, and that you can produce more than one thing. But when I saw all the things that were made, I was surprised, it's great and I really like it," says Hilana al Zua'bi, a Trochet supporter and customer.
At the rapid rate the project is growing, Rayan believes it will soon provide more jobs for women.
''After a short period of time we started receiving orders for products, much more than we expected. So in only a month, I can see that this could be converted into a factory with 500 to 1000 women, and of course, this is something certain," says Rayan.
Trochet is aiming high and hopes to one day introduce these Saudi-made products to the international market.
"We in Trochet group have achieved three primary goals. The first goal is to recycle waste and thus serve the environment, the second goal is to provide jobs for the families that need them, and the third is to produce a good quality local product that can become a global brand," says Osamah Nato, who's in charge of the development of the Trochet Group.
As plastic is trickier to crochet than traditional yarns, organizers hope more people will come to appreciate the skills and creativity of the Saudi women who turn trash into textile goods. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
