Fair Trade Cross-body Burlap Bag

Happy Tuesday! It feels like we are walking up to the starting line for the Christmas season, and I'm not so sure I am quite ready yet but here we are. It's that time of year when the holidays seem to blur together and time seems to pass much faster than usual. I'm feeling all the feels; it's fast then slow and good then chaotic. On a positive note, I am feeling much more prepared as we head into December this year!

I have been working these past few weeks to finish up new bags and stock up on ready to ship burlap pillows in preparation for the holidays. Each year I find that our customers are split - those who shop our burlap pillows, often designing something custom for a gift, and those who shop our ready to ship burlap bags. I recently finished a new cross-body burlap bag design, and I'm excited to share the details about the Fair Trade bag with you today.

As I've been out and about more, I've noticed how popular cross-body bags have become, especially in urban areas where the population tends to travel more by foot. Having a bag that hangs across the body keeps our hands free and makes it much easier to manage when we are traveling with kiddos, carrying schoolbags, or navigating public transport. Like most cross-body bags, I designed the Fair Trade bag in a rectangular shape with the top zipper closure. I opted to add a medium-sized exterior slide pocket with a button for quick grab and go storage. There is one additional slide pocket on the interior lining. The entire bag, inside and out, is accented with a beige cotton canvas fabric. I intentionally designed this crossbody burlap bag using a neutral palette. With one exterior burlap panel featuring green, industrial text from the coffee sack, I wanted to keep the bag balanced and free from too much competing color.

I chose a chocolate brown strap that blends well with the tan burlap. The strap is removable using two metal claw clips. If you are packing it away or storing it in luggage, the strap can be easily tucked away for transport. 

The Fair Trade burlap bag is one of the most simple yet sophisticated burlap bags I have sewn for the Grounds Collection. I think I go through various phases likely related to my state of mind at the time that influence my design choices. There are times where I'm drawn to neutral colors and solid fabric and other times where I am looking for color, contrast, and pattern. If color and pattern is the name of your game, stay tuned for a second new burlap crossbody bag that I'll be sharing on the blog that is all about the color. Shop the Fair Trade bag and other burlap bags now in our Etsy shop.

I hope you're having a great start to your week!

Erica