San Diego: The Bountiful Bag, founded by sisters Fiorella and Romi Rossel, transforms malt bags from local breweries into eco-friendly fashion products, addressing the growing crisis of textile waste and microplastics while promoting sustainable practices within the community and beyond.
San Diego, a city renowned for its vibrant craft beer scene, is home to an innovative fashion brand that is tackling the pressing issue of single-use plastics and textile waste. The Bountiful Bag, co-founded by sisters Fiorella “Fio” Rossel Borkert and Romi Rossel, serves as a creative solution to a growing environmental concern, turning waste materials—specifically malt bags from local breweries—into fashionable and sustainable products.
The genesis of The Bountiful Bag can be traced back to the sisters’ experiences working at breweries, where they observed an influx of malt bags accumulating in production areas. Recognising the potential of these bags, which are typically made from soft plastics and are difficult to recycle, Fio decided to transform them into tote bags, initially as a personal project. As Fio noted, “At first, we started as something, this is creative, this is fun and then we were like, ‘oh this is a problem.'”
The urgency behind their venture stems from the environmental impact of these bags, which can break down into microplastics within a year if improperly disposed of. Romi explained, “Very quickly [they] become microplastics… we saw it in our own backyard when we had our little landfill.” This prompted the sisters to pivot their focus towards upcycling, resulting in the establishment of The Bountiful Bag in 2018. Their mission quickly expanded from creating tote bags to a wider range of products, including backpacks, duffle bags, fanny packs, and even clothing.
Their multi-faceted collection utilises not only malt bags but also repurposed items such as old banners and seatbelts, furthering their commitment to sustainability in fashion. As reported, their products have made their way to consumers beyond San Diego, with sightings of their bags in places like Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.
In addition to addressing the crisis of plastic and textile waste, The Bountiful Bag has highlighted the staggering statistic that 92 million tons of textile waste are dumped into landfills globally each year. The sisters aim to mitigate this issue through eco-conscious practices in their local community, as well as initiatives beyond fashion. They have also taken steps to engage with environmental organisations and non-profits to amplify their efforts.
Romi stated, “Little actions start to ripple…we started networking with other people that were doing similar things, other small businesses that were also caring for the environment.” In an exemplary act of collaboration, they co-founded the San Diego Brewcycling Collaborative, which aims to properly recycle production and packaging waste, turning it into useful products like asphalt and patio furniture.
Looking ahead, The Bountiful Bag is gearing up for the 7th Annual Bountiful Earth Benefit, to be held on 12th April 2025 at Pure Project Brewing in Vista. This event has gained comprehensive recognition, being voted San Diego’s Best Pop-Up Market for two consecutive years. It will feature sustainable shopping, live music, and a fashion show while also serving as a platform for attendees to purchase The Bountiful Bag’s merchandise in person. Proceeds will assist both the Brewcycling Collaborative and their other initiative, Sustainability is Sexy.
As they continue to innovate and fight for change, the sisters have an audacious goal. Fio expressed a hope that “if we were in a perfect world and there was a system to recycle and dispose of things properly, we wouldn’t exist.” Their vision encapsulates the spirit of creativity and sustainability that fuels The Bountiful Bag and underscores the broader movement towards a more responsible fashion industry.
Source: Noah Wire Services
