Surfer and ocean enthusiast, Anna Ehrgott began making board bags to fill a niche she felt was missing from the surf market. When searching for the perfect bag she continuously came across reflective travel board bags or flimsy board socks. She desired something in between that was sturdy enough for every day use, so she decided to make her own. She brushed up on the sewing skills her grandmother had taught her as a child and pieced together a bag out of scrap fabric. Friends caught word of her unique bags and word spread, eventually landing her creations in a local surf shop. From there, things took off.
In addition to making practical board bags, Ehrgott wanted to run an environmentally conscious brand. Every part of the bag is sustainable, from nose to tail. The nose portion is made from up-cycled coffee bean sacks from a local coffee roaster. The fabric is vintage or leftover material from larger brands. Everything else, including the drawstring, metal parts, liner, and trim, are all deadstock.
“It’s important to me to keep up these standards because as an outdoor enthusiast, I see the effects of merchandise production gone wrong,” says Ehrgott. “I see the waste created with fashion and I see the water quality implications caused by chemicals in fabric dye. I make a product solely using materials that already exist and would otherwise end up further filling landfills. It’s a win-win.”
Easy to roll up!
The Review
I’ve been testing out a sustainably made surfboard from NSP and decided I needed a sustainably made board bag to protect it. Ehrgott sent me a 9’6” bag in her “spring” print to compliment my eco board.
I want to start by saying how uniquely beautiful this bag is. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen on the market: the fabric is fresh and fun and the Indonesian coffee sack adds a neat twist to the overall design. I’ve been toting my board around in this bag for about a month now and have been receiving compliments right and left.
In addition to the aesthetic, this bag is everything Ehrgott destined it to be. It’s the perfect everyday bag—sturdier than a sock but not quite as bulky as traditional travel bags. The material feels thick and study and it’s evident that the bag is well-made. While I’ve only had my bag for a month, Ehrgott has been keeping her board safe in her bag for three years and counting.
“I build these board bags to endure everything that comes along with being a surfer: sun, salt, cars, etc.,” says Ehrgott. “My favorite board is kept in a bag I’ve had for three years—it’s holding up perfectly.”
Looks great!
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