Back in 2000, Susan Bijl decided to create a bag. And not just any bag! The Dutch designer wanted to make a bag that would render all other (plastic) bags obsolete. The result, The New Shopping Bag, was inspired by a plastic bag, yet made from a super strong, lightweight and BlueSign® certified material called ripstop nylon (the same fabric kites are made of). The BlueSign® label guarantees that the material’s manufacturing process does not involve any harmful substances.

Bijl sewed some 400 bags in all the colours of the rainbow in her own studio before trying her luck with independent boutiques all over the Netherlands. The New Shopping Bag was an instant hit, and Bijl has expanded her collection to include foldable backpacks, shoulder bags, pouches and key chains – all made from the same material: BlueSign® certified ripstop nylon. By the way, these accessories are not the only way in which Bijl expresses her fascination with this remarkable material. Ripstop nylon is waterproof thanks to a special coating (which is more environmentally friendly than a traditional PU coating), making it the perfect material for … Bijl’s sustainable raincoats!