Their concept: “This event will be an opportunity for Maine businesses, institutions and individuals to make a short-term, highly effective and very enjoyable contribution for improvement in their local community. In promoting and staging the event, the emphasis will be on the chance to make a difference. The chance to participate in a positive experience with an uplifting impact from the event on the local community.”

Come support the local community this weekend from 11am to 11pm, and don’t forget to skip down a few blocks and visit Sea Bags on Custom House Wharf!

But did you know that it’s also a pet-friendly resort ? In honor of their pet-friendly ways, Inn by the Sea is donating to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. All you have to do is visit their Facebook page, click “like”, and Inn by the Sea will donate $1 for each new fan. A creative approach to helping a good cause!

Image via: Inn by the Sea.

We love to do fun things at our workshop on the wharf and recently Sea Bags hosted a booksigning for Linda Greenlaw. It was fun to move the machines back and have a crowd in here. We had a cast of characters that was anything but a normal booksigning. Linda had 2 marriage proposals, signed a baseball, and even received a hand-made pirate doll.

We also met a family that came from California just to see where Sea Bags are made. Food & Wine recently called our shop a “museum” for our designs and the crowd that evening was able to see it up close and personal.  We love that and hope people will find their way down our wharf for an event or even just to say hi.

Don’t forget you can buy Linda’s new book, “SeaWorthy,” and our new Sword Tote for a special price $150 through our website.

The picture above is of Linda with Sonia and Alicia. Alicia is sporting the Stephanie Harmon for Sea Bags dress out of recycled sails.

Image via: SailMaine.

We’re excited to announce that we’ve partnered with SailMaine to create a scholarship fund to introduce and encourage students ages 8-18 to learn the sport of sailing.

Individuals who drop off a sail to Sea Bags will receive a complimentary Sea Bags accessory, or, they can donate their sail to the “Sea Bags Scholarship Fund.” We will then donate to SailMaine, made as a quarterly donation. The program started in 2007 and has just been enhanced by this commitment to work together. 

SailMaine is a non-profit organization formed to support sailing in Maine at the grass-roots, community level. SailMaine connects people of all ages and abilities to the coast of Maine through fun and affordable sailing education, recreation, and competition, stimulating individual growth and creating community.

“We know that all children should have the opportunity to sail and we’re thrilled to be a part of these efforts,” said Hannah Kubiak and Beth Shissler, co-owners of Sea Bags. “Partnering with SailMaine is a perfect match for our business and we’re extremely proud to support our local community.”

Sails can be dropped off at Sea Bags located at 25 Custom House Wharf in Portland, ME. For further information about the program, call Sea Bags at 1.888.210.0744.

The magazine features our Custom House Gull tote - a new addition to our website. It can be purchased for $145.

Kate from Black Dinah Chocolatiers living her dream job!

Oprah recently did a show on dream jobs. We want to know what your dream job is?  I was lucky to spend the day with a French film crew doing a documentary on Maine. They clearly were doing their dream jobs–the quite famous host, Girard Klein was full of personality showing their viewers in France cool things about Our State. Every angle and shot was thought provoking. We shot my friend Kate, who owns Black Dinah Chocolatiers. Kate and her husband, Steve have built a great gourmet chocolate business living on the island they love to call home.  We shot the Inn at Isle au Haut where Diana has used her amazing decorating and culinary talent to create a quaint Inn.  I left a great Corporate Career to do Sea Bags with my business partner, Hannah. I was inspired by my sister, Linda whose dream job is to swordfish. I’m lucky to get to create a company where we work with amazing talent and we recycle beautiful sails into great, functional and sometimes funky totes. We give back to causes we believe in. I live in a gorgeous place, get to travel to great places, and love the people I work with from our team, to our customers and our vendors.  Yep, its a dream job. What’s yours?

Beth Shissler, co-owner, Sea Bags, Inc.

This brave U.S. Naval Pilot is a New Englander now stationed in Jacksonville, FL. She was stationed in Brunswick for many years before the base closure slated for next year took place. She flies the P3’s we were all so used to seeing flying overhead and protecting our country. She is home for a  well-earned and much deserved vacation and had to have the Red Anchor tote to bring back to Jacksonville to carry all of her gear.

Thank you Ms. Pilot for all you do to serve and protect our country. Enjoy your Sea Bag!

Of her many embarrassing experiences, well one of the worst, was playing beer pong with see-through pants, which she didn’t realize and wasn’t informed of until after the game. “Don’t worry,” Lynn reassures us, “my team won.” 

Come stop in and visit us at Sea Bags, 25 Custom House Wharf in Portland, Maine to hear some more of Lynn’s stories, or better yet, see her in action. As Lynn loves to say, she’s “out of control!”

If you’re curious as to what happens here, come and visit us at 25 Custom House Wharf in Portland. We’d be happy to show you around and you’ll get a first-hand look at how our totes and accessories are made.

Have a great weekend!

We’ve partnered with our neighbor Angela Adams to offer you a new collection! 

This new collection features a fresh and modern take on our wine bags, totes, and coasters, each created of course from durable and water-resistant recycle sails that have sailed around the world before being used as the material to make this special collection.

The designs feature a modern interpretation of the anchor, seagull, dove and the signature Angela Adams Manfred design. Angela’s designs are known for their sense of timelessness, simplicity, and balance. This new collaboration with our Portland, Maine neighbors joins two creative Maine companies who are inspired by the natural beauty and authenticity of Maine.

Our favorite? The Seagull Silver Medium Tote shown above, which features reclaimed metallic shoe leather, hand-spliced rope handles and a secure metal clasp closure.

Visit the new collection at the Angela Adams website: http://www.angelaadams.com.