As you stroll through the bustling local markets, selecting fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s all too easy to reach for a plastic bag. It’s quick, it’s convenient, and sometimes, it feels like the only option. But what if there was a better way?

Enter Projeto Vai e Volta, a community-driven initiative tackling plastic waste by offering a stylish, sustainable alternative. Using recycled fabrics – from old veils and lightweight clothing to discarded sheets – volunteers craft vibrant, reusable bags, which are then handed out for free at Loulé’s Saturday morning market, as well as other markets in the Loulé area.


The fabrics are donated by local residents, repurposed into durable bags in two sizes, and given a second life. Washable, reusable, and beautifully handcrafted, these bags not only reduce waste but also raise awareness about the five key principles of the circular economy: rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle.

This entirely volunteer-driven project is always looking for more fabric donations, as well as helping hands for sewing the bags. No experience? No problem! Volunteers are happy to teach newcomers how to sew or use a sewing machine.

We all know the saying, “A stitch in time saves nine”. Maybe it can help save the planet, too.

Want to get involved? Follow Vai e Volta Loulé on Facebook or reach out via email at vaievolta-loule@hotmail.com. Because the best things in life don’t just go – they come back.