With plastic continuing to be an integral part of our daily lives, it is easy to overlook how harmful it is to our environment. Taking up to 1,000 years to degrade and then breaking down into tiny particles or microplastics that are eaten by fish and birds, single-use plastic bags are ending up in overflowing trash landfills, rivers, seas and eventually in our food and drinking water. There is no better country to showcase this widespread global crisis than Lebanon, were environmentalists have warned of Mediterranean pollution for years.
Though a cliché, quotes such as Gandhi’s “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”, have instilled a sense of responsibility across several Lebanese environmentalists to take things into their own hands and help reduce plastic use in Lebanon.
To reduce single-use plastic and combat this widespread crisis, Keess® was born. Keess, a Lebanese designed fashion-conscious range of reusable shopping bags, not only helps people reduce single-use plastic, but also invests 10% of its proceeds toward fighting water pollution across the country.
keess while always made from sustainable material such as recycled plastic or cotton, aims to incorporate the concept of reusables in the daily habits of Lebanese people, this will be achieved through its design and easy to pack options, and mainly through its environmental and awareness posts and videos specially produced for social media platforms to speak to the Lebanese people, but also to whoever wants to listen.
Keess appeals to the fashion and function conscious Lebanese community and combats the use of plastic in two very important ways. First, in the simple fact that it is reusable, it helps in stopping single-use plastic bags from ending up in our overflowing trash landfills, rivers, seas and eventually in our food! It is versatile and trendy enough to take to the market, beach, gym, etc. It is easy to pack and does not take up space in your pocket or purse which makes it very handy and available when needed.
Second, and most importantly, it is on a mission to fight water pollution across Lebanon and improve the lives of families and children that are subjected to contaminated water at home or in schools. 10% of the proceeds are being used to install appropriate water filtration systems in public schools and households in areas around Lebanon, determined by performing water analysis in labs in different areas.
With eco-friendly alternatives such as Keess, we hope to change people’s habits while saving the environment.