After a long and successful career in the fashion industry I was looking for a meaningful change in my life. I managed divisions for some of North America's top sportswear brands but found that that after climbing the corporate ladder, I became further and further removed from the creative side of the business which is what attracted me to the fashion industry in the first place. We launched Saky Sacks in March of this year, then had to turn around and do the next season almost immediately.

We use DuPont™ Tyvek® for our bags. Tyvek is really an amazing material, it is exceptionally strong, lightweight, stain and tear resistant. Tyvek does not contain any recycled materials as it is also used in medical packaging but it can be recycled up to 5 times! Tyvek is recycled into composite wood products so not only does using a Saky Sack reduce the amount of plastic bags and paper bags you may use, it also impacts deforestation by being recycled in to materials that save trees. Our bags have beautiful custom made hardware and many features that make them extremely functional such as , padded handles for comfort, they can carry up to 25 lbs and they are machine washable. Being “Green” is a lifestyle, and while I want to do my part, I don’t want to sacrifice my fashion style, nor do I want to become a walking billboard for a department or grocery store. I also don’t want to carry something that is covered in a “green” style print such as leaves or trees – I want to be green and have style – Saky Sacks fill that need for women

While sitting at a salon one day, I noticed that all the women walking by were carrying reusable grocery bags, but nobody had groceries in them – there were full of all the other things we need such as an extra sweater, kid stuff, gym clothes, etc so I saw the potential for fashionable shopping bags. I found there were many options available in the market but they were designed to carry groceries and I was unable to find a multi-purpose bag that was both functional and stylish, the prints looked like my grandmother’s curtains, not something I would carry. So, with the intent to create a tasteful and affordable collection of bags that would become an indispensable accessory for women everywhere, Saky Sacks was founded in 2009.My inspiration for the Saky Sacks designs have come from my travels around the world and my collection of tribal textiles and rugs.

Saky Sacks patent pending designs are available in a beautiful range of prints, and we are adding more styles and new prints for the Fall season. They have many great features such as being extremely lightweight yet very strong, water, tear and stain resistant and they are machine washable. At a $25.00 retail, they are also affordable.

The product development process was challenging to say the least. The Tyvek used in our bags is manufactured exclusively in Luxembourg, we ship the material to China where it is printed and sewn in to the bags. Nobody has done the type of tyvek printing Saky Sacks is doing so the learning curve for us and the factory was huge – there were times I was not sure if we would every launch at all.

I find it so rewarding when customers tell me how much they love the bags, and come back to buy a second or a third! I am proud to have designed a “green” product that is not a cliché as so many are today. When I worked for a large company I had most of the resources I needed to do my job at my fingertips. All of this disappears when you start your own business. Having the experience is a great asset, but you become more reliant on your instincts and ingenuity to get things done, plus you have to deal with new challenges such as building a website, setting up a marketing plan, filing for patents and copyrights. The freedom and independence self employment provides brings out my creative best. I feel very proud of what I have been able to accomplish with Saky Sacks.