Tote bags flying the flag for circularity

Published on 06 August 2025

For much of the year flags fly high in Monash’s activity centres, helping to promote our celebrations, festivals and major events.

And when 150 flags were retired after fluttering through their last celebration, our sustainability team was determined that they wouldn’t go to landfill and turned them into over 800 library tote bags kits.

The kits have proved to be a perfect transformation, they’re brightly coloured and durable enough to carry the weight of a hefty load of library books.

And, most importantly, they have saved 43kg of textile waste from going to landfill.

Learn how our team partnered with Social Studio, a not-for-profit social enterprise that use fashion and creativity to create work and opportunities for Melbourne’s refugee and new migrant communities, to turn this from idea into reality.

Our team still has tote bag ‘take and make’ kits available for interested sewers, email sustainability@monash.vic.gov.au if you are keen.

You can also subscribe to our Sustainable Monash e-news or get involved in our sustainability programs.