Over the past five years, 21 talented women have, by using nothing but their creativity and materials that could have easily ended up in a landfill, created the most stunning bags, containers, mats, hats, and home décor items, all made by hand.
South Africa (25 June 2026) – What began in 2021 with a crochet hook, a pile of bread bags, and a healthy dose of curiosity has grown into a vibrant community initiative. Today, 21 women have come together to help upcycle nearly 200,000 bread bags, beautifully transforming discarded materials into purposeful, functional art.
In honour of World Upcycling Day (observed on 24 June), Re.Bag.Re.Use is proudly reflecting on five years of giving waste a wonderful new purpose.
To put their impact into perspective, Founder Regine le Roux shares that the volume of plastic the initiative has kept out of landfills and the environment is equivalent to the weight of nearly ten baby elephants!
“Every bread bag repurposed represents a second chance, an opportunity to create something functional, beautiful and long-lasting,” Regine explains.
Over the past five years, these discarded materials have been transformed into bags, containers, mats, hats, home décor items and even colourful lanyards. Everything is done by hand, from cutting the plastic and crocheting the products to sewing on the labels.
Every stitch represents creativity, patience and care, giving a humble bread bag a beautiful and functional second life. Twice as special, the women behind this remarkable creativity are able to earn a livelihood and support their families.
It’s all about crocheting hope one stitch at a time.
Not only is plastic kept out of the environment, but every project creates opportunities for creativity, learning and earning. A percentage of every sale is donated to the Neighbourhood Old Age Home (NOAH) and the SPCA.
For more about Re.Bag.Re.Use Visit www.rebagreuse.com or follow Re.Bag.Re.Use on social media.
Related Stories
Nursery Upgrade Plants Massive Hope for Nature and Community Near Kruger!
Local Ocean Champion Zoë Prinsloo Takes Her Mission Global!Sources: Regine le Roux
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes and hear their incredible stories:
Or catch an episode of Good Things with Brent Lindeque or our Weekly Top 5 below. The videos here are always changing, updated with the latest episodes from these two shows. Both are part of Good Things TV, created to bring South Africans balance at a time when the news can feel overwhelmingly negative. Our goal is simple: to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in our country – and to leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 
