What is it?

Waste plastics and metals can be used to create a whole range of new products.

These can be functional, like plastic bowls made from melting and remoulding waste plastics, as well as artisanal, like key chains and placemats, through creatively using materials like weaving plastic bags.

How does it work?

Using the example of plastic weaving, plastic bags are collected, sorted, and cleaned.

They can then be used and manipulated to create new products through various techniques, like sewing different colour bags together.

Handicrafts

Information sheet

Crochet needlePlastic bowlsChlorine/anti-bacterial soapScissorsZips, keyrings, buttons

Information sheet | Handicrafts

Equipment needed

Collection

Plastic bags are becoming a more common sight in Sub-Saharan Africa, and with waste management services often lacking the equipment and systems to dispose of them properly, they largely end up on the streets, or are burnt, causing harmful pollution which can lead to respiratory illness and other health issues.

People involved in plastic weaving handicrafts rely on these plastic bags as a source of material for their products, and either collect them from markets and restaurants, or buy them in bulk from middlemen.

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Step-by-step process1.

Cleaning

Waste plastic is washed in hot water and chlorine to remove any bacteria and food waste, and dried on a washing line in the sun

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Cutting to size

Plastic is cut into thin strips, and sorted by colour.

2.

3.

Weaving

Using a crochet needle, plastic can then be made into a variety of products, including keyrings, phone-holders, shoes, handbags, laptop cases, bottle holders, placemats and toys.

Plastic water sachets can also be sewn together to make liners for bags, and can be used for packaging other products such as biomass briquettes.

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4.

Mrs Memunatu Rogers, Trainer and Business Leader, Plastic weavers at SLOIC

Mrs Rogers is an instructor at Sierra Leone Industrial Opportunity Centre (SLIOC), and had the opportunity to attend a 5 day workshop in plastic weaving run by Living Earth Foundation. People had never seen type of weaving in Sierra Leone, and Mrs Rogers soon found her expertise was in demand!

After the training, she received equipment to start producing, and used it to teach the skills to 52 students at SLOIC. Her students love weaving, and are making bags, purses, shoes, phone holders, and key rings.

Mrs Rogers is very proud to be able to pass on these skills; ‘To show these students that plastic is not waste, but a valuable resource makes me very happy, as does helping to clean the streets of my city. Even today I was at the market collecting plastic before class to bring to the lesson! We are really trying to rid Makeni of rubbish, and are grateful for the support of Living Earth Foundation for helping us do so.’

Her enterprise is currently selling products to people in Makeni, but hopes to visit Freetown soon and sell at a craft market there; ‘People are amazed that we are able to make such fine things from plastic waste, and lots of people are asking me to train them!’

Information sheet | Handicrafts

Case study