RagBag

RagBag is a social innovation project. It has been envisaged as a part of our efforts to work for the world in our common quest to save the environment and enhance human life .

PLASTIC BAGS BANNED!

Plastic bags have been part of our daily lives ever since we can remember. Whenever we shopped we got one… or more

To save the environment, the Govt. of India has banned single use Plastic Carry bags in July 2022 .

The carbon footprint of plastic (LDPE or PET, poyethylene) is about 6 kg CO2 per kg of plastic. ( Source : timeforchange.org )

IMAGINE THE DISRUPTION TO OUR SHOPPING HABITS ( Both Shoppers and Shop keepers are in trouble to complete transaction without having a proper alternative solution for one time use Plastic Carry Bags )  !

(It’ll be a while before people learn to carry their own bags to the shop!)

TOO MANY CLOTHES!

 Many of us have too many clothes. We buy clothes on almost for every occasion and impulse. Wardrobes are overstuffed!

 Almost all of us have clothes that are just a bit faded or flawed – not old enough to be thrown but too old to be worn. It is challenge to dispose them off,

WHAT IF WE TURNED THESE CLOTHES INTO SHOPPING BAGS (Providing meaningful disposal option for used, abandoned clothes of household) ?

LET”S START COLLECTING

 At Karma Moksha Nirvana Foundation we have set up the logistic team to collect used clothes ( in this step we are delaying the process of textile waste going for landfill ).

 These will be picked up from individual household or from collection points such as local clubs and residential estates and used clothes physical drop points situated in convenient locations .

EMPOWERING WOMEN

Now the ladies come in. The task of converting old clothes into new bags with be done by Women’s Self Help Groups

The collected clothes will be washed dried, cut, stitched , chemically treated and iron by self help ladies groups

WE CAN ENSURE A STEADY LIVELIHOOD TO EMPOWER WOMEN [ A BPL Community Woman can earn monthly livelihood by finishing 115 RagBags ]

(Every RagBag will put some money in a woman’s purse and its following Circular Economy Model to complete the whole process )

USP of RagBag is Wealth in waste

Providing meaningful recycling of abandoned and discarded clothes from household & longevity of RagBag is 100 wash cycle while one time use plastic carry bag is meant for 1 time use 

Presently our carbon foot print emission is approximately 1,50,000 kg of CO2 per month. Considering average carrying capacity of RagBag is 5 kg thus replacing 25,00,000 one time use carry bags in a month and CO2 emission of per 1000 one time use plastic carry bags are 6 kg.

We are working towards sustainable cities and communities by reducing plastic waste, encouraging sustainable consumption, supporting local economies and promoting sustainable production practices.

The creation of bags from cloth waste may not directly contribute to achieving this, but it can indirectly contribute to promoting sustainable consumption patterns, reducing water consumption and pollution and encouraging water conservation.

We have contributed to the skill development of the underprivileged section of the society by providing them employment opportunities through RagBag production and giving them financial independence leading to sustainable consumption and production.

Creating of RagBags from used clothes and materials will lead to reduction in environmental pollution by delaying the process of Textile waste going for Landfill. It will also improve the health and well-being of people by reducing their exposure to harmful chemicals generating while manufacturing plastic carry  bags.

Through our initiative we are providing employment to women on a large scale by maintaining the technical interference to the least in order to maximize labour opportunities for women. It will help in skill development and financial independence of women leading to gender equality.

Rajib Chakraborty ( Founder )    

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajib-chakraborty-9bb5601

An MBA from IIM Shillong , SHRM Certificate Holder for HRM and Certificate holder from 10 Billion Strong Academy for Achievement and Leadership . Recipient of Top50 Business Growth Leader Award for taking a lead in ameliorating living standards of needy & deserved ( Bizz Talk World Conference 2022 ) & GTA Appreciation Award ( Gyeonggi-do Taekwondo Association under Gyeonggi Province South Korea ,2018 ) for  being the harbinger in introducing Taekwondo as a sport in eastern Part of India, bestowed with Appreciation Award for propagating awareness against killing & treacherous habit of Tobacco in 2017 from Mahindra Finance.  

Suman Sarkar ( Co Founder )

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suman-sarkar-25b4361a

Prof. Suman Sarkar worked in the corporate world for the first 16 years of his working career with companies like MRF, NIIT ,Hawkins Cookers, Milkfood, Onida in senior and National positions of Marketing and General Management. He attached himself with CRY, cancer organisations for developing content, collaterals etc. Prof. Sarkar passed from Delhi University's Sriram College  in Economics (where he later taught Strategic Management) followed by a Management diploma in Calcutta (then), and later also studied International Management from IIFT, Delhi. 

Prodipta Saha ( Co Founder )

Recipient of  Karmaveer Chakra ( National Silver Medalist ) Prodipta is a philanthropist per excellence. Prodipta has 30 years of experience to his credit serving different organizations in multitudinous creative, administrative and operational roles. He has left indelible impression in the field of Graphic Designing, Creative representation of live  projects, brand building, digital marketing and last but not the least consumer account management. 

Payel Chakraborty ( Founder Board Member )

Bestowed with Appreciation Award for spreading awareness against treacherous habit of Tobacco in 2017 from Mahindra Finance Payel,  is an Ex Banker having more than 18 years of experience in domestic and International market in a plethora of roles. She is a philanthropist, film producer and ace digital marketing professional of rare honour & repute. 

Ehasaas Kanjilal ( Honorary Executive Board Member )

Graduate in English Hons from Delhi University, Ehasaas Kanjilal is a young entrepreneur , journalist and social worker who started her journey in the corporate life at a very young age. She runs a production house, Mojotale Entertainments alongside her mother.

 Lovely Adhikari ( Lead Production )

Holder of Guinness World Records for Largest Jute bag manufacture under auspices of  Rakshak Foundation, Lovely is a thoroughbred professional and philanthropist . She is a trained Jute bag manufacturer and trainer ( having more than 14 years of experience ) . She is constantly working for the betterment of the society by providing jute bag manufacturing related training to inmates of Dum Dum Correctional Home for woman and she is also an integral part of Nabadisha Project of Kolkata Police as trainer of Jute product manufacturing since 2017. She is spreading awareness for precautions against HIV so that people can protect themselves by refraining from activities  which may lead to HIV infection.

The project will lead to economic growth through job creation, promoting sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation, and encouraging sustainable consumption patterns. At present 51 families are getting benefited directly and 151 families indirectly however our target is to provide opportunities close to 700 families by 31st march 2025

The creation of bags from cloth waste indirectly contributes by promoting awareness and education about sustainable consumption and production patterns, and by creating employment opportunities for education and skills development. Visva Bharati is providing training for Semi skilled /Unskilled workforce or any other stakeholders involved with RagBag initiative monthly .

By employing women in the production of RagBags we are providing them an opportunity to be financially independent. It will also improve the financial condition of their household and will lead to increased liquidity in the market . 115 RagBag is generating livelihood for 1 BPL community family monthly

Recipient of Indian Achievers Award 2021 for stellar role at Karma Moksha Nirvana Foundation in a path breaking work that involves addressing social concerns; Top50 Business Growth Leader Award for taking an exceptional lead in ameliorating living standards of the needy & deserved without any pride or prejudice ( Bizz Talk World Conference 2022 ) & GTA Appreciation Award ( Gyeonggi-do Taekwondo Association under Gyeonggi Province South Korea ,2018 ) for  being the harbinger in introducing Taekwondo as a sport in eastern Part of India; was bestowed with Appreciation Award for propagating awareness against killing & treacherous habit of Tobacco in 2017 from Mahindra Finance. Rajib Chakraborty is not only  a seasoned, gregarious, amicable, amiable , exemplary professional and philanthropist per excellence but also an out an out humanist striving hard to strike the right chord to making living simpler, easier and memorable for the hoi polloi who have so far led lives of isolation and segregation in acute misery. His crème de la crème contribution is to give voice to the faceless majority, medical relief to the proscribed & work tirelessly for ushering in change in reducing health hazards specially in areas of Eye & Dental  hygiene and its related diseases .  As an Ex Corporate Banker having wide repository of variegated experience & knowledge in Domestic and International Banking services over a period spanning for more than 10 years, he wants to make judicious use of knowledge to ward off evil challenges of deprivation, hunger & frustration in our society and promote fraternity & goodwill amongst masses who rather feel marooned thus far. Asunder from it, he is credited with wide experience in administration and operations in Hospitality , Advertising , Agritech and EdTech industry for more than 14 years and he is adept in efficacious use of such plethora of exploration to make life easier & living simpler. He took a giant leap to make a marked & well orchestrated change in the lives of the hapless, hopeless BPL population when his brain child in the form of  charitable Karma Moksha Nirvana Foundation gestated and blossomed out in unobtrusive colours of multitudinous degree in the year 2014. Rajib's pioneering work encompasses three verticals namely; eradication of the nefarious habit of smoking and spreading awareness about its deleterious impact, making premeditated provision for medical assistance to the underprivileged segment of our society mainly Dentistry so as to promote heath & hygiene in subjugated minds and pro- actively participating in relief work for victims of natural disaster like in the recent past when home state of West Bengal got battered & ravaged by the inexplicable impact of Amphan & Yash which spawned untold misery & suffering to thousands who were rendered  marooned, sans food, potable water for many days succeeding such devastating cyclone. Rajib plans to associate himself with new verticals like skill development as promoted by Govt. of India for creation of new job opportunities for young impressionable minds by stressing on exploration of skill  which can prove to be more efficacious than just bookish knowledge.
The latest from his stable is the RAGBAG initiative to stave off poverty especially amongst women who have contributed in developmental activity to produce such bags out of discarded abandoned clothes of household   while addressing environmental hazard issues so that use of nefarious plastic can be eradicated without much fuss. Rajib envisions a new India as an egalitarian society where in economic & social disparity issues can be confronted with equanimity, grace.  He believes in hope, the eternity of hope and its hope that spawns hope. With such sense of optimism he strives to work successfully  towards a much more glorious tomorrow for all despite divisions that keep us apart.

Wealth in waste

Providing meaningful recycling of abandoned clothes from household 

Dead clothes ( discarded & abandoned ) = New application + livelihood + safeguarding mother Earth 

Through the repurposing of discarded clothes we prevent used clothes from going to the landfill by extending their shelf life. In the process of manufacturing RagBags, we have tried to create and maintain an efficient logistics system. Additionally, fossil fuels are not used during any part of the process. Electricity usage is kept at a minimum to conserve the same. Most of our processes, including the chemical treatment of the finished product, have been done manually with minimal water consumption. Thus usage of mechanical power and other related fuel consumption is nominal. This significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the entire process.

Also, we have focused on local communities inclusion by employing local craftsmen,  statutory organisations, government entities, academicians, students, and research scholars in the project outside of the city limits.

The creation of RagBags from cloth waste generates employment for women contributing to women empowerment, promoting gender-inclusive entrepreneurship, and encouraging sustainable consumption and production. Also, the rag bag initiative will lead to development of skills and financial independence in women. This will help them in breaking age-old barriers of patriarchy and reducing gender- based violence. By providing employment to women, the liquidity of money will increase in their households' which will lead to reduced inequalities by promoting social inclusion, supporting local communities, promoting fair trade and encouraging sustainable consumption patterns. This helps to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Our USP is a sustainable proposition that fulfils multiple SDGs. The aim of the initiative is to search for wealth in waste. The initiative fulfils a core need for a sustainable, reusable, durable, fashionable, and eco-friendly alternative solution for one-time-use plastic carry bags and paper bags. The initiative works towards the environment as on one hand RagBag provides an alternative solution for the one-time use of plastic carry bags and on the other hand, it delays the process of textile waste going to landfill. Additionally, every RagBag will put some money in a woman’s purse in turn empowering them and creating a stable livelihood for them. Production of 115 RagBags can provide a sustainable income for a Below Poverty Line community woman for a month.

Presently our capacity is 5000 RagBags per month with approximately 41 woman involved in the initiative. As we come to our projected manufacturing, the target would be to produce 75000 ragbags per month by 31st of March 2025 by engaging approximately 650-woman workers. As we come to the engagement opportunities provided by us to the youth then along with 650 semi-skilled artisans at least 30 more people will be employed for smooth functioning of the operations. Also, the local community inclusion will actively contribute towards the empowerment of youth by employing local craftsmen, academicians, students and research scientists in the project. Making IIM Shillong as our Academic partner & Visva Bharati as our Technical and Sustainability Knowledge Partner have also provided MBA students , Ph D students with the opportunity to work on this project and give their valuable insights.

Our volunteers are visiting the locality regularly where we have distributed RagBag on different occasions or during any road show or any other activity to see whether people are using RagBags in their daily lives or not, volunteers are conducting post-usage surveys among people to get feedback for betterment. So far we have been successful to reach out to more than 10,000 families with RagBag and its utilities.  RagBag is not only a sustainable, reusable, fashionable, durable, and eco-friendly alternative solution for one-time-use plastic carry bags but also an alternative for Paper bags which in turn saves lots of trees to be cut to manufacture Paper bags.

Presently our carbon foot print emission is approximately 1,50,000 kg of CO2 per month. Considering average carrying capacity of RagBag is 5 kg thus replacing 25,00,000 one time use carry bags in a month and CO2 emission of per 1000 one time use plastic carry bags are 6 kg.

We are working towards sustainable cities and communities by reducing plastic waste, encouraging sustainable consumption, supporting local economies and promoting sustainable production practices.

The creation of bags from cloth waste may not directly contribute to achieving this, but it can indirectly contribute to promoting sustainable consumption patterns, reducing water consumption and pollution and encouraging water conservation.

We have contributed to the skill development of the underprivileged section of the society by providing them employment opportunities through RagBag production and giving them financial independence leading to sustainable consumption and production.

To give employment opportunity for more woman we have kept the process almost technology free , however our plan is to implement a Paper pulp extraction process by 30th September 2023 which will have technological intervention into the initiative .

Apart from that we have a plan to introduce RagBag club App to attract young generation into the eco system and make them interested to be associated with the initiative . Our Target date of introducing the app is 31st December 2023. 

Full Time Worker including Board members 19

Woman who are involved in RagBag manufacturing 41 

4 interns from IIM Shillong including 1 Research Scholar

3 mentors 

5 collaborators from Visva Bharati ( 3 departmental heads , 1 Professor and 1 Research Scholar ) 

Since August 2022 

We have contributed to the skill development of the underprivileged section of the society by providing them employment opportunities through RagBag production and giving them financial independence leading to sustainable consumption and production.

Creating of RagBags from used clothes and materials will lead to reduction in environmental pollution by delaying the process of Textile waste going for Landfill. It will also improve the health and well-being of people by reducing their exposure to harmful chemicals generating while manufacturing plastic carry  bags.

Through our initiative we are providing employment to women on a large scale by maintaining the technical interference to the least in order to maximize labor opportunities for women. It will help in skill development and financial independence of women leading to gender equality.

The project will lead to economic growth through job creation, promoting sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation, and encouraging sustainable consumption patterns.

he creation of bags from cloth waste indirectly contributes by promoting awareness and education about sustainable consumption and production patterns, and by creating employment opportunities for education and skills development. Visva Bharati is providing training for Semi skilled /Unskilled workforce or any other stakeholders involved with RagBag initiative monthly .

By employing women in the production of RagBags we are providing them an opportunity to be financially independent. It will also improve the financial condition of their household and will lead to increased liquidity in the market . 115 RagBag is generating livelihood for 1 BPL community family monthly

•B2B: Corporates with CSR funds looking for sustainable and effective ways to contribute to society and the environment.

•B2C: Individuals who understand the importance of sustainability and waste management and are interested in making a difference.

For B2C Customers

•Online sales through website

•Partnerships with big groceries & other retailers

•Social Media Marketing

For B2B Customers

•Corporate CSR Tie Ups

•Offering Customised gift options for corporates with direct sales 

Our early adaptors are 

Individual and corporates who are conscious about the adverse effect of single use plastics polluting the environment 

The main challenge we face is that being a Not For Profit organization, the statutory norms do not allow us to distribute profits even after being a profit generating organization. Therefore it becomes extremely difficult to raise funding as investors do not get dividend or ownership stake. Currently we are bootstrapped and funded by UN SEED Grant and CSR funds. However to scale further we need more monetary resources.

We have received UN SEED Grant and Shyam Steel Industries Limited has extended their contribution under CSR activity .