Refreshed makes bags from recycled materials such as wood, plastic, seatbelts, billboards.
Refreshed makes bags from recycled materials such as wood, plastic, seatbelts, billboards.
Eighteen months after a successful Kickstarter campaign, David Brewerton, Refreshed's operation manager and designer, is excited to have the recycled designer bag business under way.
Brewerton originally founded Refreshed in the back of his shed as a cottage organisation.
The engineering and design tech teacher from Horowhenua College had been working with his students on waste minimisation ideas which included creating usable lifestyle products out of rubbish.
Bringing together a team of people who were equally passionate about providing empowering work for locals and being environmentally proactive, Refreshed became a charitable trust with a strong non-profit business model.
Taking the next step of a crowdsourcing campaign in 2019 showed that the distinct and functional products the organisation wanted to create definitely had potential.
Billboard canvasses have been cut into shape to form bags.
Six weeks ago Refreshed hired its first employee, Kristie, whose family situation meant she had been having difficulty finding a job that she could make work around her other commitments.
Kristie has taken on the role of manufacturing supervisor, working six hours a week, and said when she did research about Refreshed and saw what the business' values were she needed to be part of this exciting new venture.
Abbey is another kaimahi who recently began work with Refreshed, doing four hours a week, which is ideal for being able to manage her health requirements. She is very crafty and loved the idea of helping to create something unique out of recycled materials.
As other roles are created they will also be for shorter, part-time hours so more kaimahi can be employed.
Brewerton said, "We want to support local people looking for employment by being as flexible as possible."
The recycled designer bags are produced out of old billboard canvases from the lower North Island and include such brands as Electra Energy, Cadbury and Armageddon 2018.
The bag straps come from used seatbelts, and the wood for the buckles is sourced from the internal lining of Levin's now demolished St Mary's Anglican Church.
Buckles made from wood panels salvaged from St Mary's Church in Levin.
The work benches these products are created on are also handmade, by Brewerton, with some of the material coming from Horowhenua College's old N Block that was pulled down last year.
The bag designs are made using a laser cutter that was purchased at a very reasonable price from Makerspace NZ.
The purchase was partially funded by a $5000 donation from local philanthropist Helen Blake, as well as money from the Kickstarter campaign.
The process of cutting out the design, lacing the material, and attaching the buckles allows for at least two bags an hour to be created. The bags are super durable, have an adjustable strap, and are water resistant.
Technology teacher David Brewerton started Refreshed to promote recycling and help people find flexible jobs.
Refreshed has based itself at the Prouse Street Business Park, owned by local man Rowan Clarke, who is more than happy to support an up and coming business that is community orientated.
The charity is still in its three-month trial phase, due to finish at the end of June, and the team is using this time to establish best practices around the manufacturing of the bags, and the future employment opportunities available to the community.
Meanwhile, Refreshed's online store is now live and the team has about 50 bags ready to be shipped out. Brewerton believes, based on current production, they should be able to create eight to 24 bags a week.
Sales promotion will be done through the charity's website (www.refreshed.org.nz) as well as on its Facebook and Instagram pages.
The public can also sign up to an online newsletter, through the website, to keep informed about future products and job opportunities.
Brewerton said they are still accepting donations to help fund this eco-friendly social enterprise, and are also looking for old cereal boxes to create the product tags that are attached to the bags.
Email info@refreshed.org.nz if you can help out with either of these requests.
