Caption: This stunning Green˚ beach bag, crocheted from discarded paraglider wings, is proof that every material deserves a second chance. Thanks to a collaboration with the Re.Bag.Re.Use team, its life as a paraglider wing may be over, but something new and beautiful has been created.
From denim pencil cases to paraglider bags, the Green˚ duo proves that no material is too tough to transform into new products, create employment opportunities, and make a meaningful environmental impact.
The dynamic duo Anne Henderson and Cheryl Macdonald, founders of Green Degree (Green˚), have made a significant impact by repurposing discarded denim into pencil cases filled with essential stationery for children in under-resourced areas. Over the past four years, they have taken Capricorn Primary School in Vrygrond, Westlake Primary School, and most recently Caravelle Primary School in Rocklands, Mitchell’s Plain under their wing and have distributed more than 7,100 stationery packs, ensuring young learners are equipped to begin their school careers while spreading an important message about finding value in our ‘waste’ and being mindful about the environment.
But their creativity doesn’t stop there. Driven by a mission that doesn’t harm the earth, create employment opportunities, and raise environmental awareness, Green˚ continually seeks innovative ways to expand their impact and creatively raise funds to support their mission.
Both Anne and Cheryl’s families share a passion for the outdoors, particularly kitesurfing—an activity that relies on large amounts of material. These materials require regular maintenance and eventual replacement, which raises a critical question: how can they be discarded sustainably? Unfortunately, most old kitesurfing sails, paraglider wings and parachutes end up in landfills.
With Green˚’s knack for innovation, Anne and Cheryl saw an opportunity to give these sails a second lease on life—transforming waste into purpose.
“We are continuously looking for initiatives that share our values and align with our mission,” shares Anne. “We also wanted to experiment and try something different. After a successful test run of crocheting with the fabric, our paths crossed with Re.Bag.Re.Use; it felt like everything fell into place—pure synchronicity.”
This Hout Bay-based initiative empowers women from Imizamo Yetho to crochet multifunctional items by repurposing empty bread and plastic bags. They have also made different products and exhibition pieces using fabric. “It was a perfect fit,” Anne continues. “We resonate with their ethos: spreading the impact and love of their work far and wide, keeping the environment clean, providing additional earning opportunities for the local community, and donating a percentage of their sales to the Neighbourhood Old Age Home (NOAH)and the SPCA.”
Anne shares, “With this new crocheted product range, we aim to create something truly special— pieces that are incredibly aesthetically pleasing, artistic and durable. Every item is handcrafted and unique. We’re not just making products for the sake of it or churning out items; we want to craft something that stands out.
“There is still so much life left in each piece of material. Its time as a kitesurf sail or paraglider wing might be over, but from it, something new and exciting is born, giving it a second lease on life for many more years. Fast fashion places a huge amount of stress on our natural resources, and we need to be much more mindful about our consumption and the lifecycle of the items we use.”
“100% of our profits are used to fund the pencil cases and stationary for the three schools that we support,” adds Cheryl. “This year alone, we have contributed over R50,000 to the local economies of Masiphumelele in Noordhoek, Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, and Westlake.”
How You Can Support Green˚:
Donate materials: If you have a kitesurf sail, paraglider wing or parachute you’re no longer using and don’t want to send to landfill, please consider donating it to Green˚.
Shop their products: View the delightful products on:
Make a donation: Green˚ is a registered NPO.
Sponsor a pencil case: Help equip a school child with a pencil case filled with essential stationery.
For more information, contact Green˚ via email: anne@greendegree.org or cheryl@greendegree.org
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Media Contact
Regine le Roux
0833021528
regine@rebagreuse.com
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