REMADE USA Blog – Blog about all things sustainable, handmade, made in the USA.

Stella McCartney and Ellen MacArthur on Circular Fashion Sustainability

by | Dec 14, 2017 | ,

“Every second, a garbage truck full of textile waste is burned or sent to landfill. $100 Billion of US material is not recycled every year.”

Read about Stella McCartney’s commitment.
Read the report.

Ellen MacArthur & Stella McCartney discuss the circular fashion report “A new textiles economy” released earlier this year by the Circular Fibers Initiative of Ellen MacArthur Foundation. It is a call to arms for the fashion industry to change its business model. The report demands innovation in textile recycling. It demands better, longer lasting materials that don’t pollute the environment and suggests keeping clothes for longer periods of time. It recommends models for sharing clothes such as renting and swapping. It also gives statistics for the path we are on and where we’ll be in the future if we don’t make changes.

This report is so important for our environment and requires consumers, business owners, and policy makers to be on board. It is imperative that this conversation be moved into action on a worldwide scale.

Here is a TED talk given by Ellen MacArthur talking about her inspiration for starting her foundation.

Shannon South bags fall into the category of circular fashion because they use pre-consumer waste from the leather industry. Remade USA bags are also circular because they use post-consumer waste.

Studio News: Brooklyn Holiday Markets

by | Nov 27, 2017 | ,

I’ll be selling bags at three different Brooklyn holiday markets this year. I hope to see you at one of them. I’ll have the Montauk Tote, the Rayen Hobo, Bucket Bags, and Pouches of all colors and sizes for sale. Here I am getting ready, making bags…  in my studio

 

 

holiday market flyers

 

Dec 1st, 5-8pm & 2nd, 12-7pm
ILD inc. / Shannon South Studio Holiday Market
200 6th Street, #3D, Gowanus, Brooklyn
>> More Info

Dec 3rd, 12-7pm
SOLStreet Holiday Pop-Up Market at Industria
33 Grand Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
>> More Info

Dec 9th, 10-5pm
PS 321 Holiday Shop: Stuff You Should Buy
180 7th Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn
>> More Info

Seea: Women’s Surf Wear

by | Aug 23, 2017 | ,

“A celebration of the style, rhythm, and grace of women’s surfing.”

 

A distinctive brand, Seea is dedicated to the pioneering women who first braved the waves, and to every woman who has ever searched for a suit that is feminine, comfortable, and fun. An elegant mix of retro-modern shapes and contemporary colors and prints, Seea strikes the perfect balance between surf function and style.

 

Committed to domestic production and sustainable design, Seea suits are a locally crafted, 100% Californian product, right down to the famous breaks they are named after. Even small details, like the hangtags, are vintage made and multi-use, printed by letterpress, and complete with a hair band for your next surf session.

This pretty much sums up what I love so much about this company. Well, this and the fact that their designs are gorgeous and so unique.

Check out this video of their 2017 collection. So in love.

theseea.com

 

Drop Cloth Beach Tote

by | Jul 20, 2017 |

I split my time working both in my studio and at home, always carrying a lot of stuff back an forth – in several bags. What I really needed was a giant bag to transport everything, so I came up with this tote. Inspired by a painter I saw on the street whose jeans were covered with smears and drippings, I decided to experiment. This is the result and it turned out to be the perfect beach bag and farmers market tote. I use this bag all the time.

This canvas bag has one interior pocket and sturdy leather straps attached with super strong copper rivets.

Jacket to Bag Transformation Service

by | Jan 25, 2017 | , ,

I just wanted to post a note that yes, I am still making custom leather bags from used leather jackets! I’ve been pretty busy lately working on custom orders and have not been able to get to all of my emails. Please be patient if that is you – I will get back to you very soon!

Remade USA / Remade to Order is my leather jacket to bag transformation service. These bags are handmade by me, and made to order using the jackets that my customers send me. These leather jackets usually have special meaning to them and I create beautiful, new and useful bags from them.

These bags make beautiful gifts and keepsakes that that will be cherished. (I was super busy during the holidays!) They are awesome gifts with meaning for the person who appreciates more thoughtful things that they will want to hold on to.

If you are interested in this service, please send me a note, along with a photo of your jacket to hello@shannonsouth.com and I will give you more info – such as prices and timing.

Rest in Peace Starman

by | Jan 12, 2016 |

DB-Transformation-Colour
This is everywhere, but I’m posting it anyway because I just love this animation by British artist, Helen Green. It shows so simply and clearly the creativity behind the multifaceted talent, David Bowie. I wasn’t the biggest fan ever, but he has been such an important figure in music my whole life that I definitely feel the hole and am so saddened. I dream of having just a small bit of Mr. Bowie’s ability to get in touch with and release creative vision. He is such an inspiration in so many ways. I’ve already ordered a couple books from his top 100 reading list.

Firewire Surfboards

by | Jul 15, 2015 | ,


I bought my very first surfboard a couple weeks ago! It’s an 8’2″ longboard (like the long one above, but not painted), sustainably made by Firewire Surfboards. I discovered these boards on a trip to Costa Rica last month, where I was able to test it out for an entire week at the place I was staying. From the very first day I took it out, I was in love. Not only is the board beautiful and durable (covered in bamboo), but it felt so much more balanced and easy to pop-up on than any board I’d ever ridden. Their Timbertek boards also are some of the least toxic and have the smallest carbon footprints of any commercially available surfboard today.

The model I got is the Submoon, which is described on the company website here:

The SUBMOON is the ultimate FUNshape. Designer Nev Hyman explains: “We combined a contemporary rocker and concaves and even thickness distribution with a quirky FUNshape outline that encourages a more vertical shortboard approach to the traditional longboard style of surfing. The outline has generous curve between your feet, which encourages the board to get on rail and TURN! The narrower moon tail provides bite, drive and direction, and the snub nose carries area forward for a bit of tip hang-cheater five FUN.

So far, I’ve only been able to take it out a couple times (Long Beach, NY), but it felt great. Hopefully I’ll have more news to report soon and pics of me actually riding my beauty.

SHUT NYC x Magda Love x Anna May Dutton

by | Jul 10, 2015 | ,

There are very few skateboard decks that I really find tastefully done and beautiful. I’ll assume it’s just because as an adult woman, I’m just not in their main sales demographic.

Street artist, Magda Love and the lovely, ripping female skateboarder, Anna May Dutton created a collaboration skateboard deck to honor Anna May joining the Shut NYC team. I absolutely LOVE how it came out and would pick one up in a heartbeat, but unfortunately this is just a one-off promotional art piece. Congrats ladies! Such nice work. Check out the awesome promo video they made:

Inspired.

by | May 11, 2015 |

3fd2c3ba0303134c1f67d1421cce9855

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.

― Martha Graham, Born May 11, 1894

Recycled Leather Bags

All of our bags are made using materials sourced from the waste stream. We only make bags from discarded or no-longer-in-use materials.

Join our list & get 10% off your first order!

*custom bags not included

What's inside: new styles, exclusive sales, event invites, and more.

Thank you! Get 10% off your first purchase. Code: NEWSLETTER