Every now and again you must take your hat off to someone whose made the art of reinvention an art form.
To stay creative, inventive, and original for a career spanning decades is often unique and it speaks volumes to a name and brand that live as one – in Anya Hindmarch.
This interview taps into the critical moments of Anya’s sustainability journey – from I am NOT a Plastic Bag in 2007 which sold 80,000 bags on the first day to the more recent 2020 I AM a Plastic Bag – an item made entirely from recycled 32 litres plastic bottles and other materials destined for landfill.
Getting consumers to stop, think and rethink their value systems has continued to inspire and inform more recent products and campaigns.
In 2021, Anya’s launched Return to Nature, a collection of bags which are intended to biodegrade at the end of their useful life – thanks to some pioneering techniques to tan and finish the leather.
She says there is still work to be done as nearly half a billion single-use plastic bags were still sold between 2020 and 2021.
Never standing still, Anya’s latest release – the Universal Bag is a collaboration with supermarkets UK-wide – a reusable shopping bag made from 100% recycled plastic, fully certified under the Global Recycling Scheme (GRS) and guaranteed to last ten years.
We only hope that more designers start to follow suit and champion causes that matter, in particular Mother Earth!