Bags of Style

With our tote bags, you can take your favourite Selvedge cover with you to the park, and hopefully soon, to the shops again. Or use it for storage or send one as a gift to a friend. Our bags, made of cotton and with natural nivad tape handles, are available featuring some classic Selvedge covers. Here we look at three and the issues they relate to; first, the cover of Issue 77: Chakru, featuring an image from a sari factory in Rajasthan, India, with 800 metre lengths of sari silk drying.

Issue 77 was published in 2017, which marked the 70th anniversary of Indian independence. In it, we look again at the textile culture of one of our oldest allies. We marvel at the variety of textiles produced across the length and breadth of the subcontinent. From Phulkari in the Punjab to Ajrakh in Kutch and everything in between including Polly’s favourites: block printing and hand-painted kalamkari. ‘Made in India’ encompasses everything from the omnipresent blue tarpaulin to hand-spinning and weaving, appliqué and dyeing practised at the Rajka company in Ahmedabad.

Issue 34 Romance from 2010 and our cover is from the Jane Campion film, Bright Star. Relationships romantic, platonic and creative are explored in this issue. Putting our qualms to one side, we indulge our romantic side with vintage veils and hand-crafted confections by Basia-Zarzycka in our Wedding Feast shoot, and the enchanting illusions of Isabelle De Borchgrave's paper dresses. We include the intriguing installation by Nina Saunders and Tracey Neuls commissioned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Sanderson, and the more challenging collaboration in Cultex.

Finally, the Selvedge Tote for Issue 85 East from 2018 features the work of photographer Kiki Xue. In that issue we enjoy the traditional floral crowns of Ukraine and the stylish images of Chinese photographer Kiki Xue. We track the generations of refugees, including Sigmund Freud, who have migrated from the east bringing with them textile traditions that have enriched and enlivened our own history. We also look afresh at China and see what recent in-roads are being made to reinvent the label of Made in China with an ethical stance. 

Browse our tote bags at Selvedge Goods.

And if you want to pair a bag with its inspiration, a reminder that back issues are currently available with a 50% discount, by entering the code STAYATHOME at checkout. This code will be active for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.