The Challenge

Need

This project is about pollution, in which our plan is to create reusable bags, so that the population can go shopping without using so much plastic, and with something different like pants that are no longer used. This proposal is aimed at all age groups, from the youngest to the elderly, whose importance is to reuse and recycle clothes and textile materials that are no longer useful or have defects and cannot be donated, in other words, it is a good way to spend quality time with grandparents and parents.

Our proposal needs to reduce pollution in our region and in Portugal, where we had the idea of creating bags so that the population can go shopping and reuse them. These bags consist of a large one, where you can put hygiene products or canned goods, two for fruit and vegetables and one for frozen foods, however we offer an informative digital leaflet in QR code format, which provides sizes and how to make a bag.

Approach to the solution

Our project offers people the possibility of reusing their damaged or no longer fit clothes, thus helping to ensure that the clothing cycle does not end in waste. This will give us the possibility of using clothes to produce reusable bags for shopping, thus reducing the use of plastic bags.

Our proposal will provide recipients with the ability to make their bags themselves, following the instructions contained in a digital information leaflet.

It is a sustainable proposal as it will not be necessary to spend money on raw materials, as the clothing will come from collections carried out in the community.

Recipients will be able to carry out this small gesture in their own homes, making This makes the bags more personal and valued and will be contributing systemically to reducing clothing waste and reducing the percentage of plastic used daily by each person.

Benefits

Our proposal uses recyclable and reusable materials to create bags, giving new life to useless materials, promoting sustainability and a modern style. We are environmentally friendly and innovative in the use of available resources.

We will promote sustainability by creating a shopping bag kit using fabrics and clothing instead of plastic, reusing materials that would otherwise be discarded, preventing pollution and contributing to a cleaner environment.

So, all of us together decided to do:

1 medium/large bag for general shopping
1 bag for vegetables
1 bag for fruits
1 cooler bag for frozen food

The production of reusable bags will be made using materials such as clothing and fabrics that will help combat pollution caused by the excessive use of plastic bags in the Fundão and in Portugal, thus promoting environmental awareness.

Collaboration

To carry out this project, we contacted and visited the Entrelaços association, where we asked for your collaboration to help us make our bags.

Some of our allies/collaborators are the Entrelaços association which is located in our community in the city of Fundão and also with the help of our Class Director Professor Alda Fidalgo and our Mentor Ana Gomes from Clube das Mentes Empreendedoras.

The role that the Entrelaços association played was to help create bags and produce them.

Our Class Director played a crucial role in finding the Entrelaços association and supplying some fabrics that were no longer useful and some that were defective, these were used to produce the prototypes.

Our Mentor also played a very crucial role, as she introduced us to “The Challenge” Project and guided and supported us throughout the process in carrying out the project.

Exhibition

The main message is to alert and motivate the population to reduce pollution, to this end we invite you to purchase our Kit so that you can enjoy it and create your own bag.

Our slogan is More Action, Less Pollution.