Tunisian brand turns sea plastic into green couture
The Hindu
Around 15 “barbeshas” or informal rubbish collectors taking part in the Kerkennah Plastic Free programme backed by the European Union, collect plastic waste which then passed to a collection company to be baled. The plastic granules recovered after grinding the waste are transformed into “Seaqual Yarn” nylon fibre in Portugal, in one of just four factories in the world equipped with the technology.
The two men in bright overalls rooting for plastic on a Tunisian beach do so to make a living, but also in the knowledge that they are helping the environment.
What they do not know is that the waste will become part of a synthetic plastic fibre used to make blue denim cloth to create a dress for the eco-friendly fashion label Outa.
The pair are among around 15 "barbeshas", or informal rubbish collectors, taking part in the Kerkennah Plastic Free programme, backed by the European Union.
This aims to recover the 7,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year that end up littering beaches on the Kerkennah Islands 20 km off the port city of Sfax.
Jean-Paul Pelissier, of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), is coordinating the EU-funded project.
He told AFP that on the archipelago, "we have an exciting environment in terms of nature and tranquillity. It's ideal for green tourism".
Pelissier said the islands were a passage point for migratory birds, and that its waters were abundant in Posidonia oceanica seagrass, or Neptune grass.
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