Uratex donates scrap fabrics for upcycling

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 17 client-entrepreneurs of RAFI-Micro-finance Inc. (MFI) will benefit from its partnership with foam maker Uratex.

Uratex has agreed to donate its scrap fabrics to RAFI MFI’s client-beneficiaries to support upcycling efforts.

“Collaborations like this are very important to push our mission of elevating lives further,” Jonar Durado, RAFI MFI’s chief operating officer expressing appreciation of Uratex effort for giving small entrepreneurs support in these trying times.

Screening for more small entrepreneurs to benefit the program is ongoing.

The partnership will provide alternative livelihood to business-minded RAFI members.

Scrap fabrics from Uratex can be turned into useful products such as pouches, bags, pouches, which the beneficiaries can sell both online and offline.

“We are looking forward to creating exponential impact of this partnership,” added Durado during the official signing of Memorandumof Agreement (MOA) between the two companies.

 According to Marvey Alcantara, RCG/Uratex Group Business head for Visayas and Mindanao, the joint endeavor will allow Uratex to support mircro-entrepreneurs generate additional income and at the same time upcycle materials from the plant to lessen environmental waste.

“Instead of sending these wastes to the landfill, we are turning these scraps into something useful,” she said.

Products made from these fabric scraps will be showcased in RAFI MFI’s online trading platform Tindahan Ni Nanay on Facebook.

Uratex has already provided 1,845 kilos of scraps to 17 beneficiaries.

Alcantara also vowed to help showcase the upcycled products in Uratex’s branches in Cebu, to broaden the market access.

During the virtual meeting, Alcantara said Uratex is willing to help micro entrepreneur beneficiaries and also pledged to pitch the program to Uratex’s 21 plants across the to expand the program.

The partnership officially commenced on September 2, 2021.

The microfinancing focus area of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc (RAFI) has always been keen on addressing the livelihood needs of low-income families in the Visayas and other parts of the country.

Members of RAFI MFI’s entrepreneurship programs are self-employed individuals belonging to the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who make a living through selling their own products or reselling various items.

Based on need assessment, the access to raw materials like scrap fabrics was crucial to their daily production flow. This is the gap that the fruitful partnership with Uratex has filled. Client-beneficiaries who are in the sewing business can especially benefit from having access to said raw materials.

One of our goals is to contribute to the overall well-being of the communities we serve, through this project we will be able to help people generate additional, and often vital streams of income, added Alcantara.