Weh plastic a go? - Man uses old newspapers to make bags

At the start of the year, many were upset about the banning of plastic bags and some were outraged even more because they had to pay for paper bags to carry their groceries.

Seeing the plight and the anger that this situation has caused, 30-year-old Racardo Stewart from Central Avenue, Kingston, decided to make some money while easing people’s pain.

He said that one day while he was at home, he heard people complaining about the paper bags they got from the supermarket and an idea just came to him.

“Some people were quarrelling about the paper bags. I had some newspapers in front of me and I just started to fold them,” he said.

Soon after, Stewart created a bag which he said could carry groceries and is more durable than the ones at the supermarket.

“Try it, man. Yuh can put something heavy in it, man. It can carry more than the ones they have at the supermarket because those are single sheets. The ones that I make are three sheets of paper, so they are stronger,” he said.

Since he started, Stewart said that people have been complimenting him and some have even purchased bags from him.

He said that he started in late January and he has sold about 20 to people around the community because he hasn’t branched out as yet.

GO LIKE HOT BREAD

Charging $50 for the smaller bags and $100 for the larger ones, he said that when he has produced enough to go to downtown Kingston, he is sure they will go like hot bread.

“Mi just use The Gleaner paper them because once people read them for the day, they throw them away. So mi just buy the used ones in bulk and sit down and make them,” he said.

One bag takes him roughly five minutes to make and he creates different sizes to appeal to everyone.

Stewart told THE STAR that other than the money, he wanted young people to realise there are creative ways to make money.

“It was not about selling it as yet. I wanted to copyright the name. I form the layout first, glue it, and then make it dry,” he said.

“Mi just a try educate the youths and mek them know that they can do something for themselves,” he said.