BaggyShirts

Environmentally friendly, locally produced bags made from recycled flannel shirts.

Created by two neighbors, Jan Ramos and Dana Miller, who took the message of Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" to heart, BaggyShirts makes it easy and stylish to be a part of changing how the environment is treated. With grocery bags, tote bags, messenger bags and more created out of recycled items of clothing, it's easy to give up toxic throwaway plastic and paper bags in favor of this environmentally friendly alternative.

After watching an event on local access television featuring producer of "An Inconvenient Truth" Laurie David and Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, Jan and Dana decided to follow the message of the talk and pick just one thing to do in helping to reverse climate change. In working with the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, the idea emerged that something could be done with reusable bags in time for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. An acquaintance had a clothing surplus warehouse, and the first time the two women entered the facility, they hatched the idea of making reusable bags out of flannel shirts. That night, the first prototype was created and BaggyShirts was born.

BaggyShirts gets its materials and creates its products locally, employing Denver-area residents and selling its products at regional independent stores. This method minimizes emissions by having employees work from home and significantly reducing the travel time of products from the first stage of materials purchasing all the way to the final move to a retail outlet. In addition, employing locals helps keep jobs and money in Colorado.

• Ahimsa Footwear
• Caboodle
• On A Lark
• Unity