Photos of heritage totes with models and sail panel being cut

The Heritage Collection

Every sail has a story, some have something greater. The Sea Bags Heritage Collection brings together the rich history of sailing, sail making, and coastal life. Handcrafted from pedigreed sails of historic schooners and sailing yachts, each bag in these series is limited in quantity and features unique trims and rare, upcycled sail cloth.

Latest Release

Limited Edition Tanbark Crossbody

Heritage Tanbark Crossbody on a pier

We're very excited to use heritage tanbark this Limited Edition Crossbody Bag. We find very few of these distinctive sails, and it has taken over five years to gather a supply of tanbark large enough to create a new collection. This colorful little bag has an equally colorful story. In the days when only natural materials were available to make sails, sail makers would dip sails in a tanning solution made from tree bark, as a preservative. The process helped protect them from the environment and, as a by-product, stained the sails a unique red-brown color. Slim in design, this bag will help you with hands-free mobility and nautical style.

Quote

"Tanbark sails originated in the 17th century when fishermen began tanning cotton and hemp sails using plant-based tannins from tree bark, creating the distinctive reddish-brown color. This process made sails more resistant to mold, mildew, and UV damage—ideal for the harsh marine conditions of the North Atlantic. Historically used by Breton and Newfoundland fishermen, these sails became a symbol of durability and maritime tradition. Today, tanbark sails are rare but remain a nod to nautical heritage, making them highly prized for their history, resilience, and striking appearance."

Tanbark Crossbody Features

  • sailboat vector iconTanbark sail exterior with durable black canvas bottom
  • handles vector iconBlack leather strap
  • hardware vector iconAntique brass hardware
  • medallion vector iconEmbossed leather logo patch
  • number vector iconIndividually numbered zippered pocket
Tanbark Crossbody photo with interior features

Previous Releases

All Heritage Collection releases further the legendary story of their sail with understated and timeless design. These Heritage Collection releases were limited editions and are no longer available for purchase.

Heritage Schooner Crossbody

Heritage Schooner Crossbody

2024

In this third and final release using sails from the Schooner Roseway, we chose to craft a premium Crossbody Bag. Designed with refined luxury and practicality in mind, this bag embodies the spirit of the pioneering fishermen who depended on the sails from which this bag is made. Honoring a legendary schooner, each handcrafted Heritage crossbody is numbered and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.Learn More >

Heritage Tanbark Tote

Heritage Tanbark Market Tote

2024

The Heritage Tanbark Market Tote was an ode to the adventurous sailors and fishermen who depended on these rugged sails. The process to create tanbark sails was developed by these fishermen in the early 1800s. This pioneering technique was labor-intensive and done completely by hand to increase the durability of sails for harsh North Atlantic weather. Learn More >

Heritage Gloucester Tote

Heritage Gloucester Tote

2023

Constructed in 1894 in Essex MA, the 156-foot schooner Effie M. Morrissey started her life as a fishing vessel. The Effie M. would go on to explore the Arctic and sail as a packet ship between the US and Cape Verde before becoming a U.S. national historic landmark. The sails collected from this storied vessel tell a tale with every stitch. Learn More >

Schooner Market Tote

Heritage Market Schooner

2023

Storied sails were recovered from the Schooner Roseway, built in 1925 by John James of Essex, Massachusetts, for this limited release. At the time, the North Shore of Massachusetts was afflicted with “racing fever” when the Nova Scotians began challenging the Gloucester area fishermen to annual races. The Roseway was commissioned just for that, built with utility for fishing and shaped for speed. Learn more >

Tiziana Tote

Heritage Tiziana

2023

Greek for "Great One" — Built by Abeking & Rasmussen and launched in 1963, Tiziana was one of the very first sailing yachts over 30 meters. During years cruising the waters of the Mediterranean, the Tiziana hosted royalty, celebrities, business and political world leaders. She has circumnavigated the globe and traveled over 25,000 miles. Learn more >

Sea Salt Products

Heritage Sea Salt

2020

Authentic canvas sails were rescued and recycled to craft a just a few of these rugged totes. The original cream color was preserved, allowing the texture and original sail maker's stitches to add character. The Sea Salt Canvas bags were unlike any other and celebrated the origins of sailing when cotton canvas was the preferred material.

Schooner Products

Heritage Schooner

2019

Originally designed as a competitive fishing vessel, the Schooner Roseway was later commissioned to guide ships in Boston Harbor during World War II. She retired as a passenger vessel in Maine and is now the home base of the World Ocean School. These rare canvas sails underscore the vessel's historical pedigree and live on as useful totes with a storied past.