This company is turning discarded life jackets into fashion accessories in order to raise awareness for the global refugee crisis — here’s how.
» Sign up for our newsletter KnowThis to get the biggest stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox: https://go.nowth.is/knowthis_youtube » Subscribe to NowThis Earth: https://go.nowth.is/Earth_Subscribe Refugee-owned fashion label, Epimonia, is collecting unusable life jackets that were previously worn by refugees and giving them a new life by creating bracelets.
Handcrafted by refugees in the community, the company raises awareness of the global refugee crisis while providing job employment, paths to citizenship, assisting in application fees, and scholarships.
In 2018, founder Mohamed Malim, a former Somali refugee, saw the images of Syrian refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea and the piles of life jackets littered on the shore of Lesbos, Greece.
He wanted to do something to prevent the life jackets from further polluting the oceans while raising refugee awareness and helping the community.
To create these bracelets, life jackets are collected each month and shipped to the Epimonia studio.
Once they arrive, the life jackets are washed and line dried.
Once dried, the life jackets are cut into pieces and stitched together with a leather or vegan backing.
Once the pieces are together, metal clasps are added, and the bracelet is complete.
The company produces up to 150 bracelets a week and has sold 7,000 bracelets to date since.
All of Epimonia’s products directly support refugees at every level, because Malim hopes that all refugees receive the same level of support that he and his family felt when they arrived in the U.S. #Refugees #Epimonia #UpcycleThis #Clothing #LifeJackets #Bracelets #Earth #Environment #Science #NowThis