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life and the world JADE KLARA / Let’s be better together! vida e mundo simply means ‘life and the world.’ As a brand that is making strides in reducing its environmental footprint, vida e caffè is committed to prioritizing certain goals as part of their journey to ensure a more sustainable world, for all.
To kick-off the various initiatives surrounding this on-going journey, vida e caffè commissioned ocean-loving illustrator, Jade Klara, to design an artwork that celebrates this mission. The artwork has been used on a tote bag to encourage the reduction of single-use packaging while shopping in-store, and a keepsake for daily use. The brand’s commitment to continually looking at ways to reduce single-use plastic is further solidified with its branded bamboo cup, which can be used to redeem the R2 discount offer when customers choose to have their takeaway caffè or any other beverage in a reusable cup. vida also plans to change their takeaway cups to 100% biodegradable and compostable cups, in 2019, across their 300 store network. In addition to this, all paper straws are now 100% compostable and biodegradable! In an effort to send less waste to landfill, vida offers it’s used coffee grounds to customers at selected stores. Used coffee grounds are a great organic fertilizer. vida’s used coffee grounds have been successfully used at urban city farms such as The Orangezicht City Farm and Streetscapes. To highlight this initiative the brand collaborated with urban permaculture training platform, Guerilla House to create seedling grow kits that communicate the ease in which anyone can start growing herbs/plants in urban settings with merely a recycled glass bottle, used coffee grounds, soil, stones and seeds of choice.
A few thoughts from Jade: You created a whimsical piece of artwork to celebrate vida e caffè’s vida e mundo sustainability journey. Can you take us through the various scenes and the meaning behind the characters and motifs you included? I wanted to use the ocean as the focal point, as our seas are in dire need of help with the delugue of plastic pollution, however I wanted to create an optimistic scene showing the effects good choices can make on the environment. I used a bee and a turtle both posterchildren of global warming to garner awareness. I then wanted to show people living in the environment showing a symbiotic respect, and walking a dog on a turtle flipper. According to your Instagram bio you say “I draw things”. Tell us a bit about your design process, your favourite commissions to work on and how you would describe your illustrative style. My illustration style is mainly bold linework with a narrative point. I am most interested in the story of the illustration. When I start I lay out my primary characters, and from there gauge where they live or who else would be in the illustration and from there, the tone. My best commissions to work on have been collaborations where I have had the opportunity to create something that lives THE LAKE
beyond print/digital. It’s a good feeling to see your work on a surfboard, or someone wearing your work or carrying groceries in a tote bag that you illustrated. What does “Let’s Be Better Together” mean to you? I wanted to create a call to action that would bring people together to want to make better choices, even if they start small. There was also a bee in the illustration so it took a lot of willpower not to make it “bee” better. Can you share a bit on what you are doing in your own capacity to lead a more sustainable lifestyle and do you have any life hacks to share? I carry a water bottle with me so I don’t have an excuse to buy plastic water bottles, and I try make purchase choices that don’t involve any single use plastics. The thought of a bottle or straw outliving me while only being used momentarily horrifies me. I try to be aware of the waste I create. what is your favourite vida e caffè beverage? I’m loving cold brew caffè this summer! to be used on white/clear background only
INFO: www.vidaecaffe.com @vidaecaffe_official #vidaemundo @jadeklara 71 to be used on coloured background only
