Planter bags the winning idea for Stratford Primary School pupils

Stratford Primary School pupils Addison Moore (12) and Milly Stone (13) won first place in The Junction Zero Waste Hub’s Taranaki Schools Upcycling Competition. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Addison Moore and Milly Stone have been upcycling in the bag.

The two Stratford Primary School pupils turned animal feed bags, coffee sacks and some fabric into a first-place win. They used the materials to create upcycled planter bags, with their product winning first place in The Junction Zero Waste Hub Taranaki School’s Upcycling Competition.

They originally created the bags for the school’s build-a-business night, where pupils create and market a product to raise funds for the school. The pair decided to sell the bags under their business name, Green Queens.

Addison (12, year 7) says indoor plants are popular currently. She says they created a product to help people show off their plants sustainably.

“We surveyed the school’s four senior classrooms and asked if they’d prefer planter bags, pots or upcycled glass jars. The planter bags were the popular choice.”

The planter bags proved popular at the school’s Build a Business night, with Milly and Addison raising $555 for the school.

While the Green Queens created the products, they had plenty of help sourcing the materials, says Milly (13, year 8).

“A coffee shop in New Plymouth gave us the coffee sacks and Guthrie Bowron in Stratford donated the fabric from their curtain off-cuts. We used the school’s sewing machines to create the products.”

She says they created different styles of planter bags.

“We have fabric with feeder bags, coffee sacks with fabric and just fabric. They’re completely reversible so people can choose how they display their plants. We sell them separately or with plants.”

After their success at the school event the pair decided to market their product to a larger audience, entering the region-wide upcycling competition. Milly says they had to submit their portfolio and photos of their product.

Addison says they were stoked to win.

“We couldn’t believe it.”

The girls were invited to a formal ceremony at New Plymouth District Council chambers to accept their awards and prizes. They received gift vouchers for Mitre 10, The Junction Zero Waste Hub and petrol vouchers. Addison says they will use the prizes to help grow their business.

“This will help us source our plants and materials. The petrol vouchers will cover the cost of petrol to get to the stores.”

Milly says they are busy making more planter bags for Stratford’s Zero Waste market in October.

“We look forward to having our products at the market and helping people make a sustainable choice when displaying their plants.”