Upcycle

Hayley Joy Teddy's

Scope:

To upskill and provide, sustainable job opportunities, through the utilisation of scrap material.

Background:

Hayley Joy's quest to reduce their carbon footprint, by donating their fabric scraps, has been enabled by a wonderful collaboration with Upcycle Winnie. Hayley Joy production generates a vast amount of waste, and what a waste it would have been, for it to be dumped, or even worse, end up in a landfill.

Upcycle, Winnie, has been able to upskill two families, by teaching them basic sewing skills, and she has now trained them to make the Teddies from scratch.

 Please view our project here.

Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L03twtCG5cQ

 

The story so far:

After much research and development, Upcycle was able to come up with a number of ways in which the scrap fabric supplied by Hayley Joy, could be upcycled into new products. Through the process, one concept in particular has been directly adopted and turned into a full CSI project, namely the Teddy Bear Project. 

Lydia

Upcycle has been teaching ladies Upcycling skills, needlework and how to use a sewing machine as part of its skills development project. The teddy bear project was introduced to the project as part of the skills transfer process. It was at this time, that Lydia fell in love with these cute teddies. Even though this was different from her original path, which was to learn to sew clothing to increase her income, and to work from home, Lydia has adopted the teddy project as her own and is loving being able to now help others in return. Lydia makes these teddies and now teaches ladies in Orange Farm to do the same.

The teddy bears are completely made by hand, with wall the sewing and finishes being done by hand, thereby making the project ideal to be set up, and taken further into any rural area. Upcycle has taken this to the level that even the stuffing used in each teddy is from the self-same scrap.

Upcycle has taught Lydia how to make these teddies from start to finish, how to do the different stiches, how to assemble the little bears and finally their signature faces. Through Upcycle's support and tutelage, she is now able to produce these bears which are on sale at the Hayley Joy shop in Dunkeld West Shopping Centre, JHB or through Upcycle.

What is happening now?

Due to the rising demand we have had to produce more of these cute little fabric bears, we have helped Lydia to bring more people into the project and we have reduced Hayley's waste to zero as we take all her scrap fabric. Lydia now has 4 additional people in her home town of Orange Farm making teddy's and helping her keep up with the orders. Two of these ladies are elderly and unemployed and through this project have now found a purpose to their days while making an income by producing amazing little teddies. Lydia has gone from making the bears by herself to being a team leader and managing the process.

Get involved?

By ordering teddies at R150.00 each from Hayley Joy and Upcycle, this will directly support the project and all the people involved.

Upcycle is always looking to new ways to make a difference, if you or your company have a waste product you would like us reduce by helping you set up a CSI project give us call! 

Contact Winnie