The majority of coffee imported into the UK arrives in 60-kilo jute sacks: over 4 million in 2006*. Although it is the contents of these sacks that carry the main value we believe that even an empty coffee sack has worth and definitely should not find its way into landfill!
Elvis & Kresse have started an initiative in conjunction with Sainsbury’s to up-cycle these waste coffee sacks and turn them into the ultimate in environmentally friendly shopping bags. This waste is produced in the UK, we collect it in the UK, re-manufacture the shoppers in the UK and then sell them in the UK. What’s more, Jute (the raw material) is a completely natural fabric and ultimately biodegradable.
We are able to fully close the loop on this project by donating 10p from the sale of each shopper to coffee grower programmes in the developing countries where the coffee is grown, helping improve the quality of life of the coffee growers themselves.
The E&K shopper is a great size and due to the strength of the natural jute fibre can fit a deceptively large amount. The added advantage is that it looks great, so works fantastically well as a beach bag or a day-to-day utility bag.
Elvis & Kresse collect waste sacks from Costa Coffee, Matthew Algie, Bettys and Taylors, Union Hand Roasted Coffee and Drury Tea & Coffee.
*According to International Coffee Organization figures.