Oceans 16

Problem:

Pollution is a worrying issue that affects us all. In particular, plastic bottle pollution states a meaningful concern for different environments worldwide. In Ecuador, plastic bottles mean approximately an 86% of the total tons of waste gathered by “Mingas por el Mar” along the country’s beaches every year (El Universo, 2020). Therefore, it is necessary to transform this waste into something useful through responsible production, at the time that conscientious consumption is promoted.

Idea:

Our proposal is the manufacturing of sustainable jeans made of plastic fiber. Plastic waste would be collected from the sea, and then taken through transformation process into the raw material for production. Then, a useful piece of clothing with different benefits would be the result: environmentally conscious jeans. The focus would not only be in the mindful production, but also in the importance of responsible consumption. We would make people aware of the impact they have in the environment.

Main Beneficiaries:

Our beneficiaries are people 25-40 years old, which come to be modern generations that due to their social environment are becoming ecologically conscious. Among these people there are those who defend social and environmental causes, as well as those who don’t but are interested in being somehow part of the change. The beneficiaries have upper-middle-class incomes, as the manufacturing of these jeans would be a bit more expensive than common jeans. What´s more, our main target would include people with a taste for sustainable fashion and who have jeans as a primary piece of clothing in their closets. Finally, people who don't buy our jeans would also benefit from the cleaner environments we would be creating.

Stage:

Inspiration and ideation

SDG:

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

GOAL 14: Life Below Water

University:

Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) '21