South African international sourcing, consumer products, commercial partnerships and strategic business development specialist Kwality Holdings has partnered with global post-consumer plastics-recycled traceable sustainable bags and textiles manufacturer Waste2Wear to bring some of the first blockchain-verified recycled products to South Africa.

From mid-2026, Waste2Wear and Kwality Holdings will introduce a wide range of verified recycled products, including reusable retail and shopping bags, hospitality, medical and workwear uniforms, packaging, conference bags, backpacks, business accessories and laptop bags, besides others.

The partnership will eliminate greenwashing and enable local businesses and consumers to trace recycled products back to source, providing proof of all claims made.

“The future of sustainability is not making claims but being able to prove them. South Africa already has capable recycling and recycled product suppliers and we are not positioning ourselves as the first to enter the market,” says Kwality CEO Shahzaadee Ballim.

“I am excited for the partnership with Kwality Holdings, as it is a perfect fit to expand into the South African market,” adds Waste2Wear CEO George Tsogas.

Ballim explains that Waste2Wear’s differentiator is its ability to provide measurable, traceable and independently verifiable environmental impact through internationally recognised certification, patent-pending verification technology and advanced traceability systems.

“South Africa does not yet have this combination of circular manufacturing, traceability and independently verified environmental impact reporting operating together at scale. This is the gap we believe Waste2Wear can address, while creating opportunities for future localisation and circular economy expansion.”

While many companies have made significant sustainability commitments over the past decade, some have been accused of greenwashing, as transparency, traceability or independent verification were lacking.

Ballim says that the quality, finish and feel of the products exceed the company’s expectations, noting that there are often preconceived ideas in the market about what recycled products would feel like and what level of quality should be expected.

“When we saw the fabrics, handled the products and experienced the quality of the recycled materials firsthand, we were genuinely blown away,” she says, pointing out that sustainability does not have to mean compromise, emphasising that it is possible to create products that are both environmentally responsible and commercially viable.

Recycled materials are being used to produce products for some of the world’s leading brands, performance apparel manufacturers and international sporting organisations.

Ballim explains that Kwality’s journey to Waste2Wear started with a customer enquiry for sustainable shopping bags.

“As we started researching the market and evaluating the options available internationally, we quickly realised that while there were many products claiming to be recycled or sustainable, it was very difficult to independently verify those claims.”

The search for a solution led to Waste2Wear.

“What initially started as a search for a product became a search for proof and ultimately a partnership built on a shared belief that sustainability only has real value when its impact can be measured, validated and trusted.”

Depending on the product category and application, Waste2Wear solutions have demonstrated reductions of up to 88% in energy consumption, 71% in carbon emissions and 46% in water use compared with conventional virgin material production.

Waste2Wear combines circular manufacturing with blockchain- enabled traceability, independent verification and environmental impact reporting, giving organisations sustainability outcomes that can be measured, demonstrated and defended.

Every Waste2Wear product is supported by a unique customer- accessible QR code and digital traceability record, providing access to verified information relating to material origin, processing, manufacturing journey and environmental impact.

Independent partners support this verification process: German testing institute Wessling validates Waste2Wear’s patent- pending RA-3 recycled-content verification technology, while independently validated methodologies measure impact across complex supply chains.