Royal Navy life rafts upcycled to produce bags in new innovative project

The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) has launched a new line of upcycled products in partnership with the Royal Navy and youth charity, Oarsome Chance.

Each bag is made from decommissioned Royal Navy life rafts that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill and the money raised from the new collection will be donated back to the RNRMC and Oarsome Chance.

Each item in the collection is made in Oarsome Chance’s studio, where students are involved with the design and construction of the products through their specialised in-house training programme.

Bob Field, head of support services and engagement for RNRMC said: ‘I knew from my last job in The Royal Navy that the MoD disposed of disused items in varying ways, including some going to landfill at a cost. With the help of my colleagues, I thought there’s got to be a creative solution here.

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‘Through this project we’ve managed to take difficult or impossible to recycle materials, materials destined for a landfill, and make incredible products with new value.’

Oarsome Chance is a charity that works with children who are at risk of exclusion and it offers a range of activities including bike mechanics and musical performance and production.

Paul Napthine, CEO of Oarsome Chance said: ‘Our collaboration with RNRMC around the new RNRMC x Canvas Works product range is so exciting on many levels. Not only is it a fantastic charity partnership, a way for the two organisations to support each other’s goals, but also a way for both charities to raise funds.’