The Tote Bag

Saving locally made fabric from landfill with the help of a Scottish sailmaker.

This is the only item on the site that doesn't relate to data. But it does relate to the environment.

Specification

Bag: 365mm W x 405mm H
Handles: 670mm L
Bag Weight: 57.5g (without handles) and 80g (with handles)
Made in Scotland in Small Batches
Waxed Organic Waterproof Ripstop Material (Made in Scotland)
Ploterre Woven Patch to the front (Made in Wales)
Cotton Handles (Made in England)

Details

This bag was created with the same philosophy as my notebooks. Reducing waste and creating something that lasts.

The obvious link is that it's a reusable bag to carry your prints (other items can also be carried). It's the same dimensions as my paper bags that I give out at fairs and it also happens to be a similar shade of brown.

The less obvious but crucial link is that all my work is made in the UK (from the paper to the print and the labels to the packaging). And because of that, I sometimes visit UK manufacturers to gain an understanding of the possibilities of what can be made in the UK. On what such visit, I found out that sometimes, fabric dye doesn't quite work out. And if a small piece of material happens to be a slightly different shade to the 'stock' material, then it can't be sold as normal. And the small batches mean it can sometimes be difficult to find someone to use it as most makers need larger stock.

Which is where I come in. 

As someone that doesn't make bags but also doesn't like to see things go to waste (the no waste notebooks are a case in point), I decided to work with a local sail maker, to turn this material into bags. Which is why I decided to design it with a nod to a sail with the metal eyelets to hold the rope handles.

And as the last step is being finished by me (tying the handles on), you get to chose what coloured handles you would like.