Designer: Sallyann's Handmade Bags

  • Fashion
  • Accessories
  • Clare

Sallyann’s Handmade Bags are beautifully made handbags and messenger bags created from unique rainproof fabrics and recycled jeans.

Unique fabric designs based on the wildflowers of West Clare.

Handmade in Ireland.

Customisation available.

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Timeless and practical designs to last.

Also neckbands/snoods printed with my unique fabric designs sewn in my studio

About Sallyann's Handmade Bags

I started making simple reversible beach bags that sat on the shoulder, using oilcloths I found and recycled jeans as the lining. I began selling the bags at Limerick Milk Market, and I hoovered up all the feedback I got from customers. I was asked to put zips in the bags, to come up with cross body designs, messenger bags with satchel style flaps. I researched the metal work components required, strap techniques and ideal lengths for cross body straps.

I created a whole range of handbags with zip tops, small, medium and large, and small and large messenger bags.

Each was named after the first person to ask for the design.

Products

by Sallyann's Handmade Bags

by Sallyann's Handmade Bags

by Sallyann's Handmade Bags

by Sallyann's Handmade Bags

by Sallyann's Handmade Bags

by Sallyann's Handmade Bags

Discover more about Sallyann's Handmade Bags

I make beautiful, practical handbags and accessories in my studio in West Clare, near Miltown Malbay.

Each handbag is made from a rainproof outer fabric that is printed with one of my own fabric designs, and they are lined with recycled jeans.The outer fabric designs are inspired by the amazing wildflowers that I find in the countryside surrounding my home. Daisies, dandelions, fuchsias, montbretia, clover and horsetail have all featured, along with bumblebees and a rare moth. I take photos of the flowers as I walk my dog Poppy each morning, and some of these photos end up inspiring my designs.

I get the jeans from charity shops locally - the Irish Wheelchair Association are one of my best suppliers.

I developed my handbags with the principle that each one had to be sustainable. Using recycled materials in the handbags was crucial to me, to keep jeans out of landfill. Jeans are often one of the hardest items of clothing for charity shops to sell on, so I help by paying them for them, giving the jeans a new lease of life. Denim is such a hard wearing material, it is criminal to see it disposed of, sometimes when it has barely been worn. I reuse as much of the jeans as I possibly can. The main body of the jeans is used for bag linings - I have a range of 7 main handbag designs ranging from the Amy Small Zip Top Handbag to the Marie Backpack, so the larger the jeans, the bigger the bag I can cut the lining for. I recycle the zips from the jeans to make coin purses, and these coin purses are also made using offcuts from my outer fabrics - another way I try to minimise waste. The belt loops from the jeans are used to hold key clips that are sewn into each handbag. Any larger offcuts are used as the linings for inside zip pockets that customers can choose to have put in their handbags.