Sustainable production can be surprisingly innovative. This is proven by the close cooperation between WAREMA and BRICHBAG. Textile scraps from the cutting of awning fabrics are processed into attractive bags and backpacks. Every purchase of a BRICHBAG also supports the production of a rucksack for the homeless, filled with all kinds of useful items for everyday life on the street. Sustainability thus also meets social commitment. It doesn't get any better than that.
The high-quality residual materials from WAREMA awning production are collected and regularly sent to Augsburg for further processing.
"Rich man, poor man, faced each other in a van. Said the poor man with a twitch: Were I not poor, you wouldn't be rich." These lines by Bertolt Brecht left a lasting impression on Sina Trinkwalder – who also happens to be from Augsburg, Germany. "Life might have its ups and downs, but nobody should hit rock bottom" is her motto. That is why she wants to build a bridge between the poor and rich with the BRICHBAG – which is also how she got the name. After talking with homeless, people she found out that self-esteem and poor hygiene are these people's most urgent problems. That is why in the BRICHBAG – made from leftover pieces of WAREMA fabric – there are toiletries like mouthwash, soap, disinfection spray, but also non-perishable food like trail mix, dried fruits or instant coffee powder. Estimates put the number of homeless people in Germany between 300,000 and 500,000 The project is intended to help them.
Sina Trinkwalder is a mother and entrepreneur. Together with her husband, she ran an advertising agency for 11 years. But then something clicked: she founded manomama in Augsburg. Young and old people work there, handicapped people, people with a migration background, single parents, people without a school-leaving certificate - people who have little or no chance on the labour market. At manomama, however, they are valuable and hard-working family members. And now they also make the BRICHBAGs.
WAREMA's goal is production that is free from waste. Scrap optimisation for fabrics and sheet metals as well as powder recycling during the coating process contribute to this. However the production of awning fabrics leaves plenty of offcuts – durable, water-repellent, weather-resistant, tear-resistant and dirt-repellent material in attractive designs. The close communication with the textiles and design faculty of Reutlingen University brought WAREMA in contact with Sina Trinkwalder. Together the idea for the waste material cycle arose, which is now the basis of all BRICHBAGs. And together Sina Trinkwalder and WAREMA are realising a vision that perfectly combines sustainable production and social responsibility.
The BRICHBAGs are available in many different versions in the online shop. And every purchase makes a valuable contribution.