Reclaimed Tents to Sustainable Bags

I can’t quite remember why the obsession with tents began, only that it became a huge part of the Studio In Progress journey long before the brand ever launched. At the time, I was developing my sewing skills, constantly on the lookout for cheap second-hand fabrics to experiment with. I would search through charity shops and eBay listings trying to find something interesting to work with at a low cost.

That's when my parents happened to be getting rid of our old family tent. Instead of letting it go, I claimed it. I didn't realise it at the time, but that decision would set me down a path that would shape not just my craft, but the values and vision behind Studio In Progress.

More Tents...

After that first tent, things escalated quickly. Within a couple of months, I had sourced five more second-hand tents. Each tent came with its own story and history of use, but also with new challenges for me as a maker.

Tent fabric, I soon discovered, is not the friendliest material to sew with. It slips around under the needle, doesn’t work well with an iron, and often resists the usual techniques you’d rely on in traditional sewing. So this is where the bag making truly began - with lots of trial and error.

Some of the earliest upcycled tent bags I stitched together are still with me today, and the lessons I learned from that process shaped the foundations of the sustainable bags we continue to make now.

Making With Intention

What began as a practical way to source materials soon turned into something much bigger. As I worked with tents and other reclaimed fabrics, I knew that I no longer wanted to buy new textiles. I didn't want to contribute to the endless cycle of overproduction in the fashion industry.

Instead, I wanted to prove that you could create something functional, durable, and stylish from materials that already exist in the world. The tents showed me that waste could be reimagined, and that creativity thrives within limitations. That choice continues to guide Studio In Progress, where everything is made slowly and with reclaimed materials.

What Remains Today

Even though Studio In Progress has grown and evolved since those early tent experiments, their influence is still present in what we make today. Many of the bag shapes and styles we now offer were first sketched and tested in tent fabric. Not to mention the fact that our first drop of Large Crossbody Bags and Collectors Pouches are made out of reclaimed tents.

When I think back to that first family tent, it feels symbolic now, a piece of fabric that held so many adventures, repurposed into something that carries new stories forward. That moment marked the beginning of Studio In Progress, even if I didn’t know it at the time.

Most importantly, the tents taught me that materials with a past can have a new life, and that their history adds to their character.

Want to carry a piece of our story with you?
Explore our handmade sustainable bags including Large Crossbody Bags and Collectors Pouches crafted from reclaimed tent fabric.