Sea Bags store manager Laura Grant is proud to present her company’s line of items featuring material straight off the boat – literally.

“As of this date, we have reclaimed, repurposed, recycled over 700 tons of sail from going into landfills,” Grant said.

The thread and rope comes from Maine as do most of the sails.  The rest come mostly from New England and the ones that don’t, come from the rest of the U.S. The  products include tote bags, wine bags, bucket bags and accessories. Seabags also makes custom bags, has a trade program which awards the donation of a sail with a product, and all products ship anywhere in the U.S., Grant said.

“It takes 12 people to make a Sea Bag with love and care,” Grant said. “That's really important. It’s a labor of love with the scent of the salt from the sea in each and every one of our bags.”

Sea Bags was founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2006. It has grown from three employees to over 130. With Seabags – Boothbay Harbor, the company now has 24 stores from Vero Beach, Florida to Bar Harbor, with seven in Maine, including Ogunquit, Portland, Freeport, Rockland and Camden.

Having lived in Boothbay Harbor on and off for years, Grant discovered the Boothbay peninsula in the early 2000s during her publishing years. She was a founder of the Maine Home and Design Magazine. She has lived on Peak’s Island and in west Portland.

As far as Grant is concerned, things could not have come together more perfectly. “I love Boothbay Harbor and feel very passionately about not only our community, but I also feel passionately in a way I never have for a company I've been affiliated with in the past …”

Involved in the setup from day one, Grant said it makes the community's positive reception that much more thrilling knowing that when a customer leaves smiling, they know they are leaving with a special bag and have practiced sustainable consumption.

Sea Bags, a sponsor of Windjammer Days, believes deeply in local participation and in charity, Grant said. The company has a long history of supporting cancer research, with over $100,000 in products and cash to various nonprofits including Maine Cancer Foundation, she said. “We are also committed to giving back to charitable organizations here in Boothbay Harbor.”

Sea Bags will remain open until the end of December and then reopen next April. As peak season soon kicks into high gear, Grant is set on giving residents and guests of the Harbor a wonderful shopping experience, complete with the message that Sea Bags is dedicated to sustainability and fine workmanship.

“Why Sea Bags – Boothbay Harbor? Because we make it a great experience … What I like to bring to our customers is mostly the fact that this is a fabulous product, once a sail that was ridden hard on the ocean and we are made right on the working waterfront in Portland, Maine at Custom House Wharf.”