As mentioned in one of my previous posts, Bodyshop has launched its first Community Trade recycled plastic from Bengaluru, India a few months back. To mark this launch, Bodyshop unveiled a giant artwork of a female Indian waste picker in London’s Borough Market on World Fair Trade day. This artwork was made by an American Artist and sculptor Michael Murphy, using recycled plastic from waste pickers in Bengaluru. Michael uses the Perceptual Art movement, where he gives an extraordinary viewing experience to viewers by using multi-dimensional techniques in order to create 3D renderings of flat images. Due to multiple layers placed one behind the other, the art form looks different from different angles and in one particular position, all these renderings come together to give a complete visual.

Here’s the artwork along with the inspiration behind it. Dolly Raheema is a wastepicker with Hasiru Dala who started picking waste at the age of 9. Today she’s a mother herself and wants a brighter future for her daughter. Now she’s a part of Bodyshop’s Community Trade program.

I must say the artist has done a great job!

The Body Shop has started using Community Trade recycled plastic in its 250ml haircare bottles. In 2019, it will purchase 250 tonnes of Community Trade recycled plastic. In India, The Body Shop has launched its in-store recycling programme – BBOB (Bring Back Our Bottles), encouraging customers to return empty plastic packaging in stores for recycling. It’s currently operational across 40 stores. Planned as a pan-India initiative, it is a significant step for the brand towards valuing plastic & protecting the environment. All stores will feature a recycling bin where customers can return any five empty products from The Body Shop and receive an incentive. Seen in the image is my bottle of ginger shampoo! It’s accompanied with a tag promoting Bodyshop’s recycling initiative.

The Body Shop is also partnering with global recycling pioneers TerraCycle, which helps customers return their empty bottles, jars, tubs, tubes and pots, in store. If recycling is not possible, TerraCycle® will repurpose the packaging into new consumer products such as benches or watering cans.

The Body Shop will increase the amount of Community Trade Recycled plastic over time. In three years, the aim is to purchase over 900 tonnes of Community Trade recycled plastic and help empower up to 2,500 waste pickers in Bengaluru.  They will receive a fair price for their work, a predictable income and access to better working conditions.  They will also get help in accessing services such as education, financial loans and healthcare.

The Body Shop and Plastics for Change are working alongside local partners such as Hasiru Dala, a non-governmental organisation that fights for waste picker rights, and Hasiru Dala Innovations, a social enterprise dedicated to creating essential employment opportunities for waste pickers. Plastic recycling is a major source of income for 1% of the world’s most marginalised urban population.