From Fabric to Finish Line: Goodie Bags with Purpose at the Black Mountain Ultra Trail

Caption: Margaret Nyika, one of the Re.Bag.Re.Use crocheters, with a bag she helped create for the Black Mountain Ultra Trail goodie bags

When runners lined up at the inaugural Black Mountain Ultra Trail (BMUT) last weekend, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Klein Karoo, they came for a challenge. What many may not have realised was that the goodie bag they received carried a story of resilience, creativity, and opportunity.

In collaboration with Re.Bag.Re.Use, a total of 190 handcrafted goodie bags were produced using repurposed materials. The Re.Bag.Re.Use team created 129 of these, with the balance made by women from the Vroue Landbou Vereeniging (VLV) across South Africa, forming a broader collective effort to transform discarded materials into something practical and meaningful.

Each bag was made from repurposed fabric, including T-shirts, curtain material and other fabric off-cuts. On average, the equivalent of approximately seven T-shirts was used per bag, giving new life to materials that might otherwise have ended up in landfill. The result is a functional, durable item designed for use long after race day.

More importantly, it represents something beyond the product itself.

The project created meaningful work opportunities for women, turning accessible materials into a source of dignity and value. It is a simple but powerful model: waste-to-worth, where skills meet opportunity and creativity becomes a catalyst for change.

“We wanted this race to leave a positive footprint, not just on the trails, but in the lives of people connected to it. Seeing these bags come together, knowing they support women and give new life to discarded materials, adds a layer of meaning that goes far beyond race weekend,” says Elize van Staden, organiser of the Black Mountain Ultra Trail and founder of Traverse The Earth.

Re.Bag.Re.Use founder, Regine le Roux adds, “Being part of this initiative was incredibly rewarding. We are used to working with repurposed plastic bags, but this project allowed us to explore fabric and other materials in a new way. It reminded us that there is so much potential in what we often overlook, and that it can be transformed into something both practical and meaningful.”

For participants, the goodie bag became more than a collection of race-day items. It represented a practical example of how thoughtful choices can create meaningful impact.

In the end, the journey is not only about the distance covered on the trail. It is also about the difference created along the way.

For more information about the Black Mountain Ultra Trail: www.blackmountainultra.com and Traverse the Earth: www.traversetheearth.co.za 

Learn more about Re.Bag.Re.Use: www.rebagreuse.com

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Caption: A beautifully crocheted goodie bag at the Black Mountain Ultra Trail. Re.Bag.Re.Use and the Vroue Landbou Vereeniging (VLV) across South Africa transformed T-shirts and fabric off-cuts into bags with purpose.

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