Help the planet - buy a Boomerang Bag

UPCYCLING: Kapiti Community Centre activities coordinator Hanna Christiansen, left, and events coordinator Johanna Lloyd with some Boomerang Bags.

Would you like to do your bit to help stem the tide of plastic bags proliferating the world?

Then buying a locally-made Boomerang Bag is a good idea.

Boomerang Bags is a worldwide movement, started in Australia, with second-hand fabric upcycled into reusable bags to help reduce the use of plastic bags throughout the world.

The movement has now reached Kapiti and has had a lot of interest from locals.

Kapiti Community Centre activities coordinator Hanna Christiansen knew about a group in Wellington making Boomerang Bags so she thought establishing a group in Kapiti would be a good idea.

She proposed the idea via social media which generated a lot of interest.

Many people attended an information evening and soon after Kapiti Boomerang Bags was born, and now has about 50 members.

"And 70 more have registered interest via email," she added.

Organisations such as Lewis's, Salvation Army, Spotlight as well as the public have donated everything from overlockers and sewing machines to huge rolls of fabric.

"The response has been so amazing that we've had to clear out our storage to fit all the donations in."

Hanna said all sorts of fabric is suitable, ranging from old curtains, sheets, pillow cases and clothing.

"Absolutely anything really."

Once the fabric has been deemed suitable for use, it is cutusing a plastic template, before it's folded in half, sides sewn, handles attached, base sewn in and a Boomerang Bag logo attached on the front.

"It takes about 20 minutes to sew a whole bag," Hanna said.

Group members make the bags during sewing bees at the community centre in Paraparaumu or at home by themselves.

The finished products will be available to purchase at Lush Design Gallery, Raumati Beach, or the Kapiti Youth Support store in Kapiti Rd, Paraparaumu.

Each bag costs $2 with all proceeds going back into making more bags and contributing to costs.

www.kcc.net.nz/boomerangbags