Around the same time Paul Long was trying to figure out what to do with leftover wool scraps, he also wanted his recycled-content clothing line, ANIAN, to release some sort of sail-cloth bag.
Naturally, he looked to Salt Legacy, another Victoria-based business making a variety of products by upcycling old ship sails.
The two circular-economy-minded businesses recently joined forces and melded their specialties into a collection of about 130 tote bags that took just days to sell out.
The successful partnership was ideal for the ANIAN president as customers were often asking for them to do a tote bag and he wanted to make one that showcased the circular fashion the company tries to emulate.
“It was just a really good fit because the used sailcloth is part of the circular economy, they’re a local manufacturer and they have that sort of grassroots start similar to where we were almost 10 years ago,” said Long, giving a shoutout to the Victoria seamstresses that helped the clothing company get off the ground.
ANIAN’s goal has been to keep making great items from products destined for the trash.
“We started out with a sole focus on clothing textiles and as the circular economy has been embraced by our customers and the community around us, we’ve also started looking at different adaptations,” Long said.
He wasn’t surprised by how quickly the totes were scooped up after seeing how beautifully they turned out, but Salt Legacy founder and CEO Meaghan McDonald was blown away after seeing them sell out in around five days.
“I’m so happy that both of our teams came together to make this collection,” McDonald said, adding she’s excited to be walking down the street and possibly see someone with a bag. “That’ll just be a really special feeling, just knowing that that individual purchased that particular tote because they also believe in the circular economy.”
The bags used the durable sail cloth for the exterior, while the inside was lined with ANIAN’s wools. Each tote explains which kind of sail it came from, the vessel that hosted it and has a map pinpointing where in the ocean the sail travelled.
All the totes came from 10 sails donated by the Port Angeles Sea Scouts, which provides youth with boating skills and other marine opportunities. McDonald said one of those Sea Scout members sailed them over to Victoria to hand deliver them.
Salt Legacy has been following ANIAN’s story and the collaboration sets them up well as it plans to do more local team-ups this year. McDonald wants those partnerships to promote the circular economy or marine and species conservation.
Vancouver Island being a hotspot for eco-minded products and a place where people are interested in preserving marine and coastal areas likely helped the draw of the upcycled bags, the CEO said.
“We live in such a beautiful place, how could you not be engaged in the environment and want to protect it and preserve it for future generations,” McDonald.
While most of consumption is still using a one-way model, Long said the reception they’re getting shows that perhaps some people are ready for alternatives.
“I hope it’s a signifier that people are leaning more towards creative solutions,” he said. “With these selling out so quickly, it shows the customers are open and willing to look at things that maybe 10 or 15 years ago people would’ve said, ‘Why would I have a bag made out of used sail?’”
READ: Victoria company goes circular with recycled, long-lasting clothing line
READ: Victoria’s Salt Legacy sews history, upcycling together with sailcloth product line