Get your sewing skills to the ready for Trade Aid’s Jute Bag Revamp Competition and turn a boring jute shopping bag into a work of art.
The competition is open to the young creatives and shop manager Donna McGough says the bags would make great Christmas presents, perfect book bags for avid readers or for taking down to the beach or to the park.
“It’s an easy and fun way to teach children how to sew. This is exactly how I learnt.”
Judged by Raglan Upcycling Co-op member and Trade Aid volunteer Hazel Lewis and Raglan district councillor Lisa Thomson, the pair are looking for creativity, imagination and upcycling flair in the designs.
“The idea is to use what you have got at home or items you could scavenge at Kaahu’s Nest,” Hazel says.
Hazel is a keen ‘upcycler’ giving sad, unloved clothing a face lift and turning them into beautiful, quirky pieces.
“Upcycling makes something more interesting and the jute bags are the ideal blank canvas to let your imagination run wild. It’s a great way to give something a new lease of life and sometimes making it more beautiful than it was originally.”
The bags are sourced from CORR – The Jute Works who work with over 4,000 rural and indigenous women facing severe poverty. CORR provide training in production skills, environmental protection and rights’ awareness to become self-reliant. Janine Jackson
The bags cost $7 to purchase and will be judged in two age groups – 6-10 and 11-15. The most creative bags will win a $30 Trade Aid voucher and runner-up a $10 voucher. Competition closes on Saturday, December 14.
