Process
The Life Cycle of a Belt Bag
Transforming forgotten fabrics into my signature upcycled belt bags
-
Step 1: SOURCING
Discovering second-hand fabrics begins with visits to as many thrift stores as it takes to find fabric that truly inspires me and that I think you will love.
-
Step 2: DESIGN
Once the fabric is purchased, I choose colors that will compliment the fabrics and place orders for zippers, buckles, and straps, as well as interfacing and sewing thread as needed. I order from specialized retailers to get the best quality for the best price.
-
Step 3: SEWING PREP
I wash and dry the thrifted fabric, some by machine and some by hand. I iron, cut out, and mark each bag by hand. Each bag has 17 pieces of fabric.
-
Step 4: SEWING
Sewing the bags consists of 64 steps, and that’s just the Tier 1 bags! Tiers 2 and 3 have more steps, the number varies depending on the bag. The bags are mostly sewn by machine but finishing the lining is done by hand.
-
Step 5: CUSTOM FINISHING
I want these bags to be wearable for every body so once you place your order, I get to work adding the finishing touches! I offer a range of strap lengths AND you can choose the side the buckle is on. Justice for lefties! See the sizing page for more details.
-
Step 6: SHIPPING
I wrap up your bag in a recycled and recyclable teal mailer and pop it in the mail to you according to your shipping preferences.
Tier Pricing Explained
Tier 1
These bags require less prep work.
Tier 2
These bags require more prep work and/or are significantly more difficult to sew.
Tier 3
These bags require significantly more prep work to design and execute the embellishments - either embroidery, patchwork, or block printing.
This covers the cost of materials and pays me for my time. I have a small number of sliding scale bags available for each drop. Please reach out to moonbellymakes@gmail.com for more information on sliding scale bags.