Local manufacturing companies combine resources and strengthen Made in

(Portland.) Sea Bags announces a manufacturing collaboration with locally-owned Grampa’s Garden of Topsham. Effective immediately, Grampa’s Garden will die cut images that are stitched onto the totes and accessories manufactured by the Portland-based company.
Both businesses are women-owned and employ seamstresses to create Maine-made products that are sold domestically and internationally. The extra capacity of the Grampa’s Garden’s die cutting machine was initially discovered through networking during meetings of the Advanced Textile Consortium, an initiative of Maine Manufacturing Association, to assist sector industries with business development activities, training, certifications and overall business needs.

“Grampa’s Garden’s operations and cutting capabilities are impressive and would take us considerable expense and time to get to,” said Beth Shissler, President of Sea Bags, who also co-chairs the Advanced Textile Consortium. “As both companies continue to scale our individual businesses, it only makes sense to share these valuable resources.”

According to Shissler, this type of shared resources for like-minded companies exemplifies the purpose of the Advanced Textile Consortium and strengthens the domestic manufacturing sector in Maine overall.

“After 19 years, we have mastered efficient die cutting,” explains Patty Ames, Vice President of Grampa’s Garden. “Raw materials are incredibly expensive and this piece of machinery cuts with precision and dramatically reduces waste. The cost savings to a small manufacturing company is undeniable.”

Grampa’s Garden, founded in 1993, provides all-natural therapy and comfort products to live a healthy life and to help relax, balance, and rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul. Most of their self-care items are hand crafted right here in Maine by people who care about good health and protecting the environment. www.grampasgarden.com

About Sea Bags:
Sailed around the world – Recycled in Maine. Founded in 1999, Sea Bags began by making fun, functional and stylish totes from reclaimed sailcloth in the historic Old Port district of Portland, Maine. Today, the company makes a diverse line of totes, bags, boardshorts and household items, all of which feature material from sails that were actively used in the past. The use of 100% reclaimed sailcloth is unique to Sea Bags. Signs of hard sailing can be seen in every Sea Bags creation, making them as individual and unique as their owner. To learn more about Sea Bags and the stories their sails tell, please go to www.seabags.com or visit them at 25 Custom House Wharf in Portland, Maine or at their flagship store in Freeport Maine.

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