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Where most people see waste, Phumudzo Muthanyi and Mbali Mokgosi see an opportunity to make a difference – and put food on their tables.
Waste management is one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa but these two women from Orange Farm near Johannesburg have found their own solution: upcycling by creating leather bags and accessories from rubbish.
“We realised our township was smothered with plastic and we wanted to come up with a solution to reduce the amount of waste,” says Phumudzo (28), managing director of MicGalaw, the eco company she started.
When Phumudzo’s father, Tshimangadzo Muthanyi, died in late 2016 he left behind piles of broken electrical appliances he’d meant to repair and she and her family wondered what to do with them. This led Phumudzo to find out all she could about recycling.
“I didn't know much about it but we found out we could recycle electronics, which was what my dad was interested in.”
This new discovery led to a business idea and now she and her partner, Mbali (29), create backpacks, handbags and accessories out of plastic bags.
“I’m a fashion designer and in the design industry I’ve seen a lot of people choosing their own material and style. After seeing Orange Farm go from a clean place to a filthy space full of waste, I thought: how I can I create a product that would be eco-friendly and not harm the environment?” Phumudzo says.
The two women have been operating from their home office for nearly three years now and have managed to collect more than 30 000 plastic items.
“We go to landfills where people dump their rubbish and collect plastics there. Sometimes taverns, liquor stores or family members give us plastics.”
After collecting the raw material, Mbali and Phumudzo start the process of washing the plastics thoroughly, drying them and separating them by colour. Once everything is sorted, they start the shredding and cutting process to begin an intricate process of compressing the plastics together.
“We create a leather-type material from all those plastics by fusing them with other materials and create patterns for bags. As for how we do it, that’s our secret but the process of creating the two metres of sheet material takes three hours.”
Their products are made from three types of plastics: low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
Because they are all made from recycled materials, their products are affordable – ranging from R50 to R350.
“We wanted to do something different. The first and second time we tested the process, it failed again but the third time was a win,” Phumudzo says.
“I have a passion for photography and photojournalism,” Mbali adds, “When I discovered recycling, I thought it was something I would explore as a photographer but I ended up finding more than just content. It complements my talents and aspiration.”
The women are now looking to expand their business and start making more fashionable pieces.
“We are introducing a new South African street style: artistic and eco-friendly products for young people. Fashionistas should watch this space.”
