They are called “sheltersuits” and are waterproof jackets made of a very warm material that can turn into equally warm and waterproof sleeping bags. They were invented in 2014 by Bas Timmer, who is now 30; he makes them from textile leftovers or waste; he has them sewn by Syrian refugees or people who live on the margins of society and who find their place again through work.

In Enschede, in the Netherlands, he has produced over 12 thousand so far, by recycling 21 tons of fabric, and created 112 new jobs. Over the years, he has given them to the homeless in the Netherlands as well as all around Europe, in Berlin, Edinburgh, to the children of the Lesbo refugee camp. Bas studied at the Roc van Twente fashion academy. He came up with the idea after the father of one of his friends, who lived in the streets, died of hypothermia. The business is supported by donations and subsidies. Bas has been named by the US magazine Time as one of the “10 next generation leaders” of 2020.