With the demand for cloth bags increasing following the ban on single-use plastic in the State, the Kozhikode Corporation Kudumbashree’s Fresh Bags have become a hit.
The Fresh Bags’ brand was launched just weeks ago with 150 stitching units, two per ward, joining hands under the Kudumbashree. At present, 700 tailors across the city are involved in making quality cloth bags made of pure cotton, in various sizes to suit the requirements of business outlets.
Cloths are supplied to tailors who then stitch the bags and give them to the collection centre set up at the basement of Mahila Mall, from where they are distributed as per demand.
The bags come in three different sizes and the price ranges from ₹10 to ₹18 per bag. “We have demand for bigger bags, which can be met eventually,” Kudumbashree Project Officer of the Corporation T.K. Prakashan said. A tailor gets ₹3 per bag as stitching charge.
However, the future of Fresh Bags largely depends on the availability of the cloth used for stitching the bags. “We are sourcing the material from a Thrissur-based firm and currently there is a severe shortage because of the huge demand across the State. We now need to source it from elsewhere,” Mr. Prakashan said. The official also sought government subsidy for the venture.