From Waste to Wares: Upcycling Plastic Bags for Relief, Aid, and Development

Abstract

Upcycling plastic bags may be a viable method to provide basic necessities for people living in poverty. I created knitted and fused designs from plastic bags including; ropes, shoes, tarps, rainwater catchers, toilet seats, neonatal warming bags, fishing nets, and construction webbing. Plastic bags are ubiquitous in every part of the world, but particularly in the developing world where more than 40% of the population lives on less than $2.50 per day. Plastic bags are an environmental and health hazard, but they are also a useful raw material. Using simple knitting and fusing methods, it is possible to turn plastic shopping bags into useful items for relief, aid, and development needs.