The enterprise upcycles discarded plastic PET bottles, which they source from dumpsites, community centres and schools, into kliketyklikboxes™, the I.PET(intelligent PET), the KEEPET, the Pettipod and many products made from recycled fabrics. The kliketyklikbox™, their flagship product is a unique versatile and trendy eco-friendly gift box sold all around the world through agents and distributors. By recruiting and training young black women that have been unemployed for 2 years or more, AWR not only addresses plastic waste pollution, but also tackles unemployment amongst one of the most vulnerable groups of South Africa’s society.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
Expertise, Knowledge and Partnership
The challenges
AWR aims to address challenges of unemployment in the community and plastic waste pollution.
Addressing the challenges
By changing the company structure, to benefit more women. Upcycling recycled plastic bottles whilst at the same time developing women through job creation and skills training. Selling globally to empower locally.
The achievements
AWR is a unique brand that is recognised worldwide. Address the growing unemployment rate and lack of skills training for previously challenged women. Solid business relationships with Fair trade distributors and gift buyers and Agents. Mentored through their company’s business model 18 start- ups from around Africa and South America with the SEED initiative. Developed strong partnerships with leading recycling depots to maintain the collection source of bottles. Support for charities, the naked baby foundation, being a favourite of All Women Recycling, to support the plight of young impoverished women, giving birth with dignity. Working with their clients to collect sponsorship funding, clothing and toiletries to make this important role a pleasant and dignified experience. Working with the JONGA trust. The GoGo project, whereby elderly women in the township of Khayelitsha design and make jewellery and knitted goods to subsidise their lives and those of their grandchildren, all women recycling upskills and helps them design goods to guarantee more financial rewards. Awards: The Nedbank award for transformation 2018, The Cape Chamber of Commerce award for Design 2018, The FinexSA award for non-engineering 2018, The Cape Chamber of Commerce Exporter of the year nominee finalists 2016, 2017, 2018.
Johannesburg, South Africa
