Lit Totes

Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador)

Problem:

5% of all global landfills are taken up by textile residue, making the textile industry the second largest polluting industry. Still, waste is unavoidable during the production process, or even when it reaches the consumer. Each step of the life cycle of every garment generates some type of residue, and with the extreme growth of this industry in the past fifty years, the lifespan of a piece of clothing is an estimated of three years, making mass production the only way to satisfy the demand.

Idea:

Collecting textile residue from clothing factories and repurposing it to create Tote Bags. The simple pattern of the product generates minimal waste. Additionally, the construction of the product will generate employement, which we plan to make it predominantly underpriviledged women. Therefore, it will help provide a new utility to the residual fabric, making it not end up in landfills, thus helping to solve the contamination issue.

Main Beneficiaries:

Employed underpriviledged women: 10 (planning to increase as needed and within our economic possibilities) Associates: 5 At first, there will be a direct benefit for 15 people, which we plan to escale by creating more employement as we grow. However, creating solutions to reduce contamination from one of the biggest polluting industries will indirectly benefit everyone worldwide.

Stage:

Execution and validation

SDG:

GOAL 13: Climate Action

GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality


University:

Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador)