Would you believe that this gorgeous circle bag is made from an old used car tire that would have ended up in a landfill if it wasn’t for Mors Design.
Mors Design
Mors Design is a local sustainable small business that takes what is essentially waste, and turns it into useful, reusable items, which is the very definition of upcycling!
In Afrikaans the word MORS means to waste or mess. Isn’t that just the most perfect name for a small business that upcycles waste!
The tire tubes are often rescued directly from landfills, and then cleaned before being transformed into bags, book covers, lights, and sculptures. Mors Design believes in skills development, job creation and empowering communities hence why manufacturing is done locally in Salt River by previously disadvantaged women and refugees predominantly from Malawi.
Tires in landfill
Currently in SA we have millions of tires in our landfills. There are already quite a few countries that have made it illegal to throw tires in landfill! Why? Because they can cause environmental damage, take up a lot of landfill space and can actually be recycled! We have companies in SA that take old tires, turn them into rubber crumb that then is used to resurface roads, used as foundations for sport fields and used for flooring. The next time you replace your car tires, check if the company you buy your new tires from will recycle your old ones.
Circle bag
This circle bag is a true piece of art! I love it so much. The stitching detail is stunning, and the inside is lined with colourful shwe shwe fabric. The strap is a thick black and white rope, that is secured with a wrap detail which is perfectly executed!
I actually spotted an old photo of a circle bag on the Mors Design instagram page that had the black and white rope and asked them to make me one. I love the boldness of the chunky strap together with the “fabric” of the bag.
The bag easily fits all my essentials: keys, wallet, phone, with so much more space for other items!
Where to buy?
I bought this bag via their Instagram in January, paid via eft and collected it at the Mors Design shop (shop 70) in the Watershed at the V&A Waterfront. Mors will soon have an online shop, so you’ll be able to buy online as well.
I’ll admit this was a splurge. I’m passionate about supporting local, and I’ve been wanting to support Mors Design for a while now. I used to sell things I made myself at markets, so I get that people often don’t understand the amount of time and energy that goes into making something by hand, and they also often don’t expect handmade items to cost as much as they do. Yet often people will spend the same if not more on a similar item mass produced in another country!
So when I tell you I spent R1200 on this bag, knowing the story of it’s creation, if you are anything like me, you might think that it is a splurge but totally worth it. With my purchase I helped prevent waste whilst supporting the local economy! What more could a green vegan chick want?!
If you’d like to see more accessories I have found, have a look here. Alternatively, if you’d like to see more of the green vegan fashion products I have found, have a look here. New products posted regularly.
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