Despite major crises, these Syrians innovated a sustainable business turning plastic junk into cheap mats!
Jun 14, 2023, 14:25 IST
There is no sugarcoating the scale of the humanitarian crises looming over Syria. Already suffering at the hands of the country's decade-long war, conditions were once more exacerbated after the massive earthquake struck near the Turkey-Syria border earlier this year.
Add deadly disease outbreaks into the mix, and you have a population desperate for any means to make it from one day to another. While these are, indeed, devastating conditions, some Syrians have still managed to innovate businesses for their daily bread and butter. And here's more: they help the planet as well!
In the country's northern Idlib province lies a factory constantly whirring out rugs and mats. Despite seeming ordinary, these are anything but, made from plastic thread recycled from discarded plastic junk!
Yes, this Indian household staple is being produced en masse by young adults in Syria — and there's actually a decent market for it too!
30-year-old mat seller Mohammed al-Qassem notes that since these mats are relatively cheap, they're a hit in areas with displaced populations living in basic tents and makeshift dwellings. These cost somewhere between $5-15 dollars only, miles cheaper than the traditional Persian-style rugs, which cost around an exorbitant $100.
"In summer, demand for plastic mats increases because they retain less heat," Qassem said from his shop. This is, once again, a reasoning Indians are very familiar with. "They can also be used in winter and are less costly", he continues.
However, the journey from scrapyard to factory isn't necessarily a pretty one. Much of the plastic collecting and sorting is done by needy residents who have no other means of a daily wage.
"It's tiring, but what can we do, we have to put up with this hard labour," remarks Behlal, a displaced Syrian resident who was shot in the leg and has since had trouble finding employment.
"Thank God, at least we have work with the trash," he added.
While working in not the most glamorous of conditions, Behlal and his family have to battle cholera and other chronic illnesses as they sort through the junk, all the while still working at criminally low wages.
Large machines convert the threads into large mats in mat-making factories, featuring striking geometric designs. Some of these establishments host as many as 30 employees, a massive win for a region plagued with joblessness.
Mats used to be made from natural origins such as jute, coconut and cotton fibres in India in the past. However, plastic mats made out of polypropylene have quickly replaced such traditional varieties.
Polypropylene is, once again, a plastic, meaning it is non-biodegradable and toxic to our environment if not disposed of carefully.
Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places, and the tenacity these Syrians display is truly something to behold. With recycling a powerful weapon against the plastic crisis and the tremendous market for mats and similar products in India, there is certainly a powerful lesson to be learned here.
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Add deadly disease outbreaks into the mix, and you have a population desperate for any means to make it from one day to another. While these are, indeed, devastating conditions, some Syrians have still managed to innovate businesses for their daily bread and butter. And here's more: they help the planet as well!
In the country's northern Idlib province lies a factory constantly whirring out rugs and mats. Despite seeming ordinary, these are anything but, made from plastic thread recycled from discarded plastic junk!
Yes, this Indian household staple is being produced en masse by young adults in Syria — and there's actually a decent market for it too!
30-year-old mat seller Mohammed al-Qassem notes that since these mats are relatively cheap, they're a hit in areas with displaced populations living in basic tents and makeshift dwellings. These cost somewhere between $5-15 dollars only, miles cheaper than the traditional Persian-style rugs, which cost around an exorbitant $100.
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However, the journey from scrapyard to factory isn't necessarily a pretty one. Much of the plastic collecting and sorting is done by needy residents who have no other means of a daily wage.
"It's tiring, but what can we do, we have to put up with this hard labour," remarks Behlal, a displaced Syrian resident who was shot in the leg and has since had trouble finding employment.
"Thank God, at least we have work with the trash," he added.
While working in not the most glamorous of conditions, Behlal and his family have to battle cholera and other chronic illnesses as they sort through the junk, all the while still working at criminally low wages.
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After washing and sorting, the plastic makes its way to factories, where they get converted into pellets for further recycling, or into brightly coloured plastic threads to be turned into mats.Large machines convert the threads into large mats in mat-making factories, featuring striking geometric designs. Some of these establishments host as many as 30 employees, a massive win for a region plagued with joblessness.
Mats used to be made from natural origins such as jute, coconut and cotton fibres in India in the past. However, plastic mats made out of polypropylene have quickly replaced such traditional varieties.
Polypropylene is, once again, a plastic, meaning it is non-biodegradable and toxic to our environment if not disposed of carefully.
Inspiration can come from the most unlikely places, and the tenacity these Syrians display is truly something to behold. With recycling a powerful weapon against the plastic crisis and the tremendous market for mats and similar products in India, there is certainly a powerful lesson to be learned here.
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