Designer Spotlight: Visiting Sea Bags In Portland Maine

Earlier this summer I visited Portland, Maine on a press trip at the fantastic new (and first) boutique hotel  in Portland, The Press Hotel (blog post coming soon). During my free time wandering the streets of this charming seaport city I saw a sign down by the harbor for Sea Bags Maine.

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I had forgotten that Sea Bags, which makes colorful totes from recycled sails and rope handles is based in Portland.

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I wandered down a dusty wharf road replete with pick up trucks and fishy smells.

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Abandoned building with boarded windows and peeling paint has a great patina.
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The Sea Bags shop and studio at Custom House Wharf, Portland, Maine.

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The front section of the building offers lots of different styles of Sea Bags for sale.

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I find the rope handles a bit too clunky, but they’re sturdy and authentic.

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Behind the racks of Sea Bags I spied sewing machines and supplies.

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Women at the machines were constructing Sea Bags from sailcloth.

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And sewing sailcloth appliqué designs, like this sailboat.

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You can trade used sails for bags through the  Sea Bags recycling program.

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A metallic gold star Sea Bag design.

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Industrial size spools of New England ropes in natural and navy.

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And more ropes.

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Bins of materials

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More Sea Bags accessories.

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Read about Sea Bags’ newest retail stores in Rockport, MA and Cape Cod in The Boston Globe.

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Shop Sea Bags at StyleCarrot partner J.Crew >

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