Toiletry bags, wallets, key rings: many useful and stylish accessories can be made from a material that very few people would have thought could be recycled: used water wings. But these rubber buoyancy aids are given a second chance at the "Nähwerk", the sewing workshop at Bethel's "Tagwerk".
Many creative people work at the day centre for people with mental illnesses on Herbergsweg - such as Ulrike Kögel*. The Bielefeld native has been attending the sewing workshop for many years. In addition to patience and experience, she has a great deal of sensitivity for the not always easy processing of the tough material. The woman, who describes herself as a "patchworker", also often uses a needle and thread in her private life. "For me, plastic is also just a fabric. Only firmer," she says. Special machine needles are needed to pierce the thick rubber layer of the wings without the needles breaking. Ulrike Kögel appreciates the sturdy material because it makes her creations stable, durable and water-repellent. Most of the pieces are finished with zips and a logo. The raw material, discarded swimming aids, comes from all of Bielefeld's swimming pools and has been collected at Ishara for four years now.
