There are two things that I tell every person who enters the Freeport store. First I mention that all of our bags have been sailed around the world, because all of our bags are made from recycled sailcloth. Most people are aware of this, if for no other reason than reading the store signage. Next I make sure to underscore that each item is made by hand in Maine. Consistently people are pleased to learn that our products are not only manufactured in the US but are actually made locally on Custom House Wharf in Portland.
Sometimes I am asked if I make the bags. This question always puzzles me. It sounds as odd as asking me for my preferred brand of motor oil. I smile and answer that my skilled colleagues in Portland are the magic makers – not me.
Interestingly, according to a Made In America report on www.abcnews.com, if every American spent an extra $3.33 on U.S.-made goods, it would create almost 10,000 new jobs in this country. Sea Bags as a corporation is committed to creating and keeping good paying, sustainable jobs in Maine.
Please understand that this doesn’t mean that I am against foreign-made goods. After all, I see plenty of Longchamp totes on women’s shoulders. Rather, I do suggest that it is nice to know that my co-workers are still utilizing the traditional stitching skills born from shoe factories and shirt manufacturers generations ago.
I am not an economist but I understand there is a reason many companies don’t manufacture domestically -- it is expensive. However, I am proud to be working for a company that is proving Made in America can still be successful. While I am merely an observer of the comings and goings on Bow Street, I took a moment to consider Labor Day beyond the symbolic end of summer or the ill-fated dogma of being considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.
It is quite a sight. A couple uniquely styled recycled sails will be hanging from our Freeport store in July. The Dacron surface provided the perfect surface to celebrate the connectivity between Maine’s vibrant art scene and seafaring history.
Recently a newspaper included a picture of our pink ribbon Sea Bag in a pink-washing article. By associating a picture of our tote bags with this article, they insinuated that we were in it to profit from cancer. Really? As I sit in the hospital room of a person who is one of the closest in the world to me; I wish it were true. I wish it was just about profits. I wish I was in the office counting all the money. Anything would beat this.
