By: Chang Tsung-chiu and Liu Tzu-hsuan
New Power Party Changhua County Councilor Wu Wei-ta (吳韋達) has unveiled a line of tote bags made of recycled campaign banners.
Wu, who is running for re-election, joined the “Rebirth — canvas recycling and reusing program” initiated by Taiwanese canvas brand TAGather Goods to transform fabric waste into fashionable tote bags.
Wu said he wanted to incorporate the circular economy into his campaign while embracing an environmental trend gaining popularity in the fashion world.
New Power Party Changhua County Councilor Wu Wei-ta poses with tote bags made of recycled campaign banners in Changhua County on Monday.
Photo: Chang Tsung-chiu, Taipei Times
He said he plans to provide students at certain schools with canvas for them to be creative in making bags.
In using material that would have been thrown away after a campaign event, the tote-bag initiative combines the concepts of zero waste, sustainability and social welfare, he said.
The process of recycling banner canvas is complicated, as the material has to be cleaned, while rope and metal parts have to be removed before the canvas can be cut, the designer of the bag said.
Some banners have irregular creases and must be spread out flat for several days to be smoothed, she said.
Cleaning, removing unwanted parts, cutting and sewing must all be done carefully to produce a bag that is reusable, waterproof, stainproof and easy to clean, she said.
The Rebirth program has been working with businesses to explore reusing single-use textiles and is cooperating with more than 50 organizations, including IKEA, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and the Fubon Guardians baseball team.