Recycled Canvas Bags - And then one day...

“The Goods”

Aside from a fun saying, each bag has a story and requires various skill sets for its construction before it lands in your hands.

To begin this project, we teamed up with the Guatemalan textile group, The New Denim Project, to use their premium upcycled denim from pre-consumer scraps.

Once the material arrives at Creamos, the pattern is made. Fabric is marked and the Cutting Team cuts the necessary fabric. Next, a seamstress on the Sewing Team makes the straps while another makes the body of the tote. A third seamstress sews the straps onto the bag. After that, the bag takes a trip across the room to the screenprinting area where another group of women work their magic. The bag then goes to “Mama Celia,” who is in charge of Quality Control.

When Jen visited Creamos for the first time she was in awe. The location shares a property line with the Guatemala City garbage dump and is run by women with amazing stories of strength and resilience. Creamos’ services foster self-esteem, wellness, leadership and financial independence for women who have historically relied on collecting, recycling, reusing and reselling items scavenged in the garbage dump to make a living.

Since its inception, Creamos' primary goal has been to provide an alternative form of income, resulting in a safer and healthier family environment. Today, Creamos creates opportunities for dignified employment, offers emotional support services, and promotes a community of ongoing education. Creamos continues to open doors for new participants while continuing to support and nurture the 150 active participants in our organization. The women and mothers have become leaders and change-agents within their community and families.