About us
Original T-Bag Designs is a socially responsible enterprise that manufactures world-class unique handmade products from recycled and repurposed used tea bags for the local and global market.
After the pandemic we reopened at Shop 1 Pam Arlene, Main Road Hout Bay and at the V&A Watershed in Cape Town CBD. To showcase our Artists and Crafter works we offer a workshop tour and a hot cup of tea at our Hout Bay workshop. The tour experience includes a short overview video and takes 30 -45 minutes to complete, while our friendly hosting team will guide the tour.
This tour is like no other as it offers a unique and unforgettable experience that shows our ability to make positive changes through art and crafts in our community. at our premises. Come join us for a cup of tea and we promise to use a new t-bag! If you are in a rush just pop by to hear our story in 5 minutes or more on how we are changing our shared environment and lives in our community!
Origin Story
Original T-Bag Designs was founded in 2009 by Jill Hayes as a community upliftment project and evolved into a fully-fledged entity employing 22 people pre-Covid. However, in Mach 2020 the enterprise closed down and retrenched all 22 staff members. With the generous support of the Chamäleon Reisen group, we reopened in 2021 and we are back to producing beautiful handmade artwork and continuing our mission of saving the planet whilst creating jobs for our local communities ( 12 new jobs as of Jun 2022).
Now…
The T-Bag Designs workshop in Hout Bay employs people from the local townships to create a range of functional art decorated with recycled teabags. These unique products turn tea bags into works of art. We strive to create sustainable arts and crafts for homeware and decor. The tea bags are dried, emptied, ironed then painted by the T-Bag Designs artists – each one is unique. These miniature works of art are then applied to stationery, wooden trays, coasters, fabric items, wall decor and more. This enterprise provides employment and stability for a group of previously disadvantaged people in the Hout Bay area.
Aspirations
In the next few years, we will expand the product line and recycle more tea bags while creating more job opportunities for people in the local township. We are looking for partnerships with other social enterprises to collaborate and increase our recycled input materials and reduce our collective carbon footprint.
We intend to host more workshops and training programs for unemployed community members on hands-on work in Sustainability and Recycling while creating art from recycled materials and used tea bags. This could help to spread awareness about our work, while also empowering people with new skills and potentially creating job opportunities for those who become skilled at upcycling.
In a nutshell
The T-Bag Designs workshop in Hout Bay employs people from the local townships to create a range of functional art decorated with recycled teabags. These unique products turn tea bags into works of art. We strive to create sustainable arts and crafts for homeware and decor. The tea bags are dried, emptied, ironed then painted by the T-Bag Designs artists – each one is unique. These miniature works of art are then applied to stationery, wooden trays, coasters, fabric items, wall decor and more. This enterprise provides employment and stability for a group of previously disadvantaged people in the Hout Bay area.