NEVER underestimate the power of an inspiring teacher! When Tessa O\u2019Halloran was attending Grade 2 in Botswana, she came home from school one day and told her mom, Helen, all she had been taught about global warming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe was appalled at the devastating effect humanity had on the planet, and ever since, she has been on a never-ending quest to address environmental issues,\u201d Helen recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last year, at the age of 20, Tessa founded a small business called \u201cplasticity.\u201d after experimenting with different ways of re-using plastic bags. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith an iron and wax paper, we fuse together a few plastic sheets into a new material, which we can sew to create a range of products. For now, we are focused on making multi-purpose zip bags,\u201d Helen explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tessa added, \u201cplasticity. began with the desire to build a creative, meaningful business and to contribute to a circular economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have always been concerned about the state of our natural world, the resources we use and the overall impact each one of us has on the planet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is an overwhelming surplus of plastic out there. Grocery bags are a common sight littered among our natural landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have found a way to create a product that inspires through the transformation of discarded grocery bags into something elegantly useful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Helen and Tessa\u2019s younger sister, Erin, running the production side of the business in Graaff-Reinet, Tessa now lives in Cape Town and does all the marketing for plasticity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Production has taken off in a serious manner toward the end of 2018, and currently, plasticity. supplies their multi-purpose zip bags to eight different outlets countrywide. \u201cBusiness is increasing steadily as people get to know about the product,\u201d Helen said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUltimately we hope to employ a few ladies from the community to assist with the preparation and making of the fused plastic fabric that we use to create each of the unique zip bags.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Erin won third prize for presenting the idea at the Bright Ideas Innovation Competition, run by the Department of Education and the Swiss Embassy in November 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy hope for plasticity. is that our product sparks a new thought process,\u201d Tessa said. \u201cConsider your impact on the planet. Rethink plastic, and remember that little changes do make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more info contact plasticityplastic@gmail.com or look out for them on facebook and instagram.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEVER underestimate the power of an inspiring teacher! When Tessa O\u2019Halloran was attending Grade 2 in Botswana, she came home from school one day and told her mom, Helen, all she had been taught about global 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