ANYBAG
Kat hoelck and Alex Dabagh
(
Private sector
)
#SDGAction55726
Description
ANYBAG is on a mission to reimagine waste. We collect, sort, strip, and weave single use soft plastic packaging into an artisanal textile in our family factory in the heart of Manhattan, by the hands of New Yorkers paid a living wage. We lobby for the plastic packaging reduction act, and hope to close the tap on single use soft plastic, while also utilizing existing material and keeping it in use.
We collect plastic that would otherwise go to landfill by partnering with brands to divert their corporate soft plastic waste, and partnering with schools to activate the children towards environmental stewardship and circular economy. Our artisans then sort and process and weave this plastic on a loom, creating a beautiful and durable textile that is then used for consumer goods.
We are currently in process of development of a patent-pending automated loom which will allow us to dramatically scale the impact of our efforts. Each loom, which automates the otherwise laborious weaving effort of our system, actually creates 20 jobs for cutters and sewers to process the larger output of textile. We are also looking to create a digitized partner portal in the coming year, where all impact metrics are updated in real time. Our patent-pending system can be built in communities globally to process soft plastic waste.
Kat Hoelck is a founding partner and Director of Strategic Partnerships, working directly with our brand partners to negotiate impact commitment. Alex Dabagh is the founder and CEO and he runs the family factory, where everyone is valued and paid a living wage in NYC. The average employment length at the factory, which has primarily produced leather goods since the 1980s, is 23 years.
We have diverted over 18,000 lbs, or 850,000 single use plastic bags from hitting landfill, and counting. Our products are designed for durability and are backed by a Lifetime Guarantee. We are currently working with engineers and scientists to develop viable recycling or Upcycling initiatives at scale for the eventual end of life of our upcycled products.
We have partnered with Nike, Adidas, Google, Mastercard, Madewell, Ralph Lauren, Rivian, Beyond Meat, and over 26 universities and schools to divert single-use soft plastic from entering landfills and waterways.
SDGS & Targets
Goal 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
9.1
9.1.1
Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road
9.1.2
Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport
9.2
Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
9.2.1
Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita
9.2.2
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment
9.3
9.3.1
Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added
9.3.2
Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit
9.4
By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.4.1
CO2 emission per unit of value added
9.5
9.5.1
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP
9.5.2
Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants
9.a
9.a.1
Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure
9.b
9.b.1
Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added
9.c
Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
9.c.1
Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology
Goal 12
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
12.1
Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.1.1
Number of countries developing, adopting or implementing policy instruments aimed at supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production
12.2
By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.2.1
Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP
12.2.2
Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP
12.3
By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.3.1
(a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index
12.4
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
12.4.1
12.4.2
(a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment
12.5
By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.5.1
National recycling rate, tons of material recycled
12.6
Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.6.1
12.7
Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.7.1
Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans
12.8
By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.8.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
12.a
Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.a.1
Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)
12.b
Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
12.b.1
Implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism sustainability
12.c
Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities
12.c.1
Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies (production and consumption) per unit of GDP
SDG 14 targets covered
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Deliverables & Timeline
Divert a million plastic bags from landfill
Resources mobilized
Partnership Progress
Feedback
Action Network
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Timeline
Entity
Region
- North America
Geographical coverage
Other beneficiaries
We do this for future people, to help close the tap on single us plastic and shift culture towards circularity. This also benefits the schools we support through our programs, enriching the childrens education and engagement. And it benefits our employees, who have a job with a purpose over product, a positive working environment, and a living wage. Our 5 year goal is to have our system around the world, empowering communities to upcycle this waste at a reasonable scale, creating jobs, and making impact.
More information
Countries
Contact Information
Kat hoelck , Director of Partnerships