Making a bag from a decommissioned life raft sounds like a straightforward process, but the reality is considerably more complex. We have been working with synthetic urban textile waste for over a decade, but marine-grade materials are something else. We have learned through experience that this is one of the most challenging materials to transform into a finished product. The properties that make life rafts so effective at their original purpose – durability, resistance to the elements, and structural integrity – are the same that make them difficult to turn into something new.
The first challenge is disassembly. What we process are not really fabrics, but the actual ferry life rafts themselves. They need to be disassembled in the least wasteful process possible, separating fabrics, ropes, ladders and all sorts of parts. Most of the time we don’t even have a map of the actual raft, but we’ve found our way around it. Disassembly also means separating parts that are glued together, that’s why a lot of our bags have glue marks on them. It gives a certain character and uniqueness to each piece.
Then there is the actual cutting. Life raft fabrics are designed to withstand storms, saltwater, and years of exposure to harsh sunlight, and they are also slightly elastic. We cut every piece by hand using the sharpest knives that allow us to work slowly and precisely through the material. This is a time-consuming process, and it demands a level of care and attention that is very different from the speed of factory production. But it gives us the control we need to make the most efficient use of each raft and to minimise waste.
The cleaning process is another stage that requires significant effort. A life raft that has spent ten years in a barrel strapped to the side of a ferry accumulates a considerable amount of salt residue, dust, exhaust fumes, and general wear and tear. We do not simply wipe the material down and begin cutting. Instead, we wash each already cut raft piece to the best we can achieve. Remember the glue? Glue stays behind most of the time.
Sewing presents its own set of challenges. We use specialist, industrial type sewing machines and needles. Standard sewing machines are not designed to penetrate material of this density, and we found that needles would snap regularly. The threads we initially used were also insufficient, breaking under the strain of the material’s resistance. Finally, there is the issue of elasticity, since most of these fabrics are woven but also coated with elastic PVC. Because of the above, the stitching process takes significantly longer than it would when working with most fabrics. And it requires a skilled hand to achieve clean, consistent results.
The time and skill required at every stage of production have a direct impact on the final product. We cannot produce bags in the same volumes as a conventional factory, and we cannot compete on price with mainstream brands. What we can offer is a product that carries the history of its previous life in its texture and appearance, with small marks and variations that tell the story of a raft that once served a vital purpose on a Greek ferry.
Despite the challenges involved, we love working with marine waste because we the result is worth the effort. The bags we produce are exceptionally durable, they carry a unique story, and are as circular as can be. The process is slow and demanding, but it is honest work, and we are proud of what we create.
