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Following his passion for water sports, Benny , the founder of Got Bag , decides to fight against ocean plastic pollution by creating backpacks with recycled plastic waste from the Indian Ocean. In 2016, he decides to develop the iconic GOT BAG ROLLTOP, the first backpack in the world made of ocean plastic ( Ocean Impact Plastic ).

In parallel, the company has launched a clean-up program in Demak, on the island of Java in Indonesia, collecting plastic from both the ocean and coastal areas. With its work, Got Bag raises awareness among people around the world about the responsible use of natural resources, thanks to an innovative model of circular economy with a positive impact on people and the environment.

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The problem

Of the new plastics produced worldwide, approximately 9% are recycled, 12% are incinerated, and 79% end up in nature. Here's what we can do:

1

produce and use less plastic

2

improve waste management and recycle more

3

launch programs to collect plastic dispersed in the environment

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Why does so much plastic end up in the oceans of Southeast Asia?

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Indonesia produces one-fifth of the waste that an American citizen produces every day, and plastic represents at least 10%. In addition, there is plastic waste that, instead of being disposed of and recycled directly in Europe or the United States, is exported to Southeast Asia and without being officially tracked.

Depending on the size of a country's population, the percentage of waste that is lost to the environment varies depending on the level of industrialization and education, the number of people living near the coast, infrastructure, and geographical factors such as climate, topography, and vegetation. Jambeck et al. (2015) estimate that in Indonesia this percentage is around 83%, while in industrialized countries such as the United States it is only around 2%. Thus, after China, Indonesia is the country with the most plastic entering the oceans worldwide: up to 1.29 million tonnes per year. In the United States, however, it is just 0.11 million tonnes per year. Regardless of location, just under half of all improperly disposed waste eventually ends up in the oceans – according to Jambeck et al (2015) – particularly waste generated by people living within 50 km of the coast .

The approach

What is Got Bag doing?

In 2016, Got Bag began collecting and recycling plastic from the oceans, turning it into backpacks. Since then, they have steadily increased the capacity of their cleanup program and therefore the amount of plastic collected each month. In addition to this, they are continuously increasing their social commitment by promoting awareness and prevention activities on site to reduce the amount of plastic waste improperly disposed of and thus prevent it from ending up in the oceans.

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The clean-up program

The activity in Indonesia

In 2016, Got Bag began collecting and recycling plastic from the oceans, turning it into backpacks. Since then, they have steadily increased the capacity of their cleanup program and therefore the amount of plastic collected each month. In addition to this, they are continuously increasing their social commitment by promoting awareness and prevention activities on site to reduce the amount of plastic waste improperly disposed of and thus prevent it from ending up in the oceans.

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The amount of plastic collected directly from the ocean by a network of over 2,000 fishermen and women on the northern coast of Java has been steadily increasing since Got Bag began its cleanup operation in 2016. The company has also started collecting plastic from land, which has been dispersed into the environment due to lack or inadequate waste management systems. Collection points cover large areas starting from the coasts, thus offering the population a direct opportunity to recycle, also thanks to prevention activities promoted directly on site.

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People who are part of the clean-up program become ambassadors for the initiative, spreading and disseminating information about recycling and the negative effect of plastic waste in the ocean, and raising awareness among their fellow citizens about a more conscious use of products made from plastic. This phenomenon also stimulates relationships with the local government, favoring the search for long-term solutions to preserve the marine ecosystem.

What is Ocean Impact Plastic?

The collected material is called Ocean Impact Plastic , to symbolize that from now on it will no longer be considered a threat to the oceans, also thanks to the collection activities of the Got Bag community. It is composed of plastic collected directly from the ocean and from the surrounding areas with collection centers, from mangrove forests and rivers.

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The production

Turning waste into treasure

In 2016, Got Bag began collecting and recycling plastic from the oceans, turning it into backpacks. Since then, they have steadily increased the capacity of their cleanup program and therefore the amount of plastic collected each month. In addition to this, they are continuously increasing their social commitment by promoting awareness and prevention activities on site to reduce the amount of plastic waste improperly disposed of and thus prevent it from ending up in the oceans.

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Transport of Got Bag products

Since plastic pollution and its consequences mostly affect the Indian Ocean, we collect Ocean Impact Plastic in Indonesia. The material is then transported to China, which is strategically located between Indonesia and Europe, and processed by world-leading companies in the processing of this type of fabric.

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Room for improvement

Future goals and plans

Plastic collection and supply

Products

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