27 June 2017

Featherston joins Boomerang Bags movement

Saturday 1 July marks the start of Plastic Free July and it’s also when Featherston supermarket shoppers can ditch their plastic bag for a free handmade tote.

Featherston is the latest town to join ‘Boomerang Bags’ an Australian-born scheme to help reduce the use of plastic bags by providing reusable tote bags that shoppers can borrow for free and bring back.

All the bags have been sewn by volunteers from materials donated by locals – everything from rolls of new upholstery fabric to unwanted Christmas tablecloths.

A group of local, like-minded friends started the project. Leah Gibson says, “I saw a video about Boomerang Bags online and shared it on our Featherston Facebook page where people were really keen.

“By advertising locally we collected donated fabric and thread and have had people turn up for regular sewing bees, as well as people sewing at home,” she says.

South Wairarapa Council’s Creative Communities scheme helped kickstart the project with a $1000 grant.

The bags will first be available from Featherston’s SuperValue supermarket. The team chose the supermarket because it’s the place most people are likely to accept a plastic bag. The owners and manager have wholeheartedly supported the scheme, including donating $200 towards materials

Later in the year the bags will be available at the popular Featherston vegetable market. The group aims to grow steadily, signing up more volunteers and gathering fabric donations as the project progresses.

SUPPORT THE PROJECT
As well as ‘borrow and bring back’ bags that are free for everyone to use, there will be a range of ‘bought to support’ bags for sale on Saturday. A stall at the supermarket will operate from 9am-1pm where people can support the project for a $10 donation. Bags that are purchased can be kept by their owners with money raised going towards materials.

People wanting to donate material or volunteer can contact Emma McCleary on 021 204 7376 or email boomerangfeatherston@gmail.com

FAST FACTS
· Featherston’s Boomerang Bags launches 1 July at SuperValue supermarket
· 1 July is also the start of Plastic Free July
· A stall will operate from 9am-1pm at SuperValue where people can buy their own bag for $10 to support the project
· Featherston’s Boomerang Bags project is ongoing and aims to reduce plastic bag use in the community.

ends

© Scoop Media