Discarded jeans are given a new life at the Stark leatherwork company in Hoogeveen. They turn them into toy animals for charity.
“This is going to be a dog.” Wessel Kranghand operates the sewing machine with concentration. Two pieces of denim cut between his fingers in the shape of a sitting dog with floppy ears. He and four colleagues work in a small space, with three sewing machines, a book full of patterns and a large stack of jeans.
Colleague Alie Knol is sewing pieces of fabric onto a stuffed duck with a needle and thread. “It took some searching at first, but we are getting better and better at making cuddly toys.”
They have put together dozens of cuddly toys over the past three weeks. The finished cuddly toys are sold for charity in the clothing store De Jongens in Hoogeveen. That’s where the idea originated.
The stuffed animals are displayed next to the counter. Owls, an elephant and bears. “We are proud of the result.” says Mark van der Zee of De Jongens. “The first cuddly toys have been sold and the first pairs of jeans handed in.” His fellow salesman Saul van den Berg was assigned to do something with sustainability during his training. This is how the plan was born to collect discarded jeans. to reuse. “After all, we sell a lot of jeans in the store.”
The proceeds from the cuddly toys go to the Mini Maatje foundation, for families who are financially strapped. Some of the toy animals are donated to orphans in Ukraine through Support Ukraine.
A lot of work is being done in the sewing workshop. A turtle, bird and Santa Claus are in the works. “None of us knew how to make a hug,” says Alie Knol. “When you see what the result is after a few weeks of watching and trying, I am very happy.”