Sustainable designer Jy Park has created a fashionable backpack that also spreads awareness about the water crisis in Africa.
Photo courtesy of Jerrybag.
The fashion industry can be a negative place. Thankfully, there are plenty of designers and entrepreneurs out there making a positive impact with their creativity. Jy Park, a native Korean, is making his own sustainable mark with a line of backpacks directly inspired by the plastic water containers many East Africans use to carry water. Now based between Helsinki, Finland, and Uganda's capital city of Kampala, Park has created a sustainable design enterprise called Jerrybag, which aims to raise awareness about the ongoing water crisis in Africa.
A graduate of the creative sustainable design program at Alto University in Helsinki, Finland, Park founded Jerrybag in 2012 after traveling through Uganda and seeing firsthand the severity of the water issues. From there, he developed a way to give back to the community through sustainable design. Jerrybag has partnered with NGOs and local community members to design and produce these products. It also supports projects that spread global awareness about water issues in local areas. Jerrybag's backpacks and T-shirts are currently made in both Ugandan and Rwandan local communities.
Sadly, around 35% of the world's population still lack access to clean water. This causes unnecessary illness and death around the globe, particularly in parts of Africa. One harrowing statistic reveals that every twenty seconds, a child dies from poor water sanitation.
With its designs produced by local workers, Jerrybag is one of the few fashion brands tackling economic issues from the ground up. Park emphasizes that Jerrybag is not a charity; it offers Ugandans legitimate job opportunities. The products are then marketed  internationally to clients and customers in Europe and Korea, creating greater opportunity for revenue growth. While Park is aware that Jerrybag alone can't change the poor water conditions in East Africa, he believes that it can make a difference by daring to focus on tiny steps. Design-wise, the bags incorporate standard African cotton with African patterns like Kitenge, staying true to their local culture.
As a result from Jerrybag's collaborations with non-profits, the purchase of a single Jerrybag creates 100 liters of drinkable water for locals in East African communities. These stylish eco-bagsremind us that social awareness comes in many different shapes and sizes -- and that it's possible for fashion, when applied consciously, to reach far beyond the sum of its parts.
"Every small action can change the world."
-- Jy Park, Jerrybag founder
https://ignitechannel.com/sustainable-design-africa-jerrybags-socially-aware-backpacks/
