Trimmed Sails
Frequently Asked Questions
How big are your recycled sailcloth bags?
Each of my bags is hand-made and sizes may vary slightly. The standard “XL” size tote bag I made measures about 22″ wide, by 13″ high, by 7″ deep, give or take a smidge… I can make these bags any size you want, so if you’re not finding exactly what you’re looking for in my existing inventory online, contact me to get a quote on a custom, hand-made recycled sail tote bag.
Do you sell recycled sail bags in bulk?
I do not have a specific store listing for “bulk orders” which simply means, you want more than one of the exact same thing. But I am happy to work with you to coordinate a larger order. This is common for things like bride’s maid’s gifts for a beach-themed or nautical-themed wedding or party. I will offer bulk-order discounts as well, which is based on the size of the order. Email me to sort it all out!
What colors do you offer for your recycled sailcloth totes?
The most common color is “old sail white!” Seriously, the majority of the body of the bags I make are constructed from my own personal sailboat sails (the old ones, of course!) As I replace the sails, I have to do something with all that old fabric. Dacron sailcloth is very sturdy, water-and stain resistant so it makes for perfect fabric for sturdy beach bags, tote bags, overnight bags and more.
Some of my bags have a dark brown canvas bottom and handles. This too is from my old sail – and explains why the color of the brown fabric might be more faded in some sections. It’s because this was the original sacrificial cover for the headsail.
In addition to plain white Dacron sailcloth and brown canvas, I also have a bunch of fun beach and nautical print canvas fabrics which I use for accents (on pockets and my “thing strap” inside the bag. I also occasionally line sail bags with a fun print. Check out the contrast fabrics I currently have available.
How much does shipping cost?
I offer FREE SHIPPING on all my products for orders shipped within the continental United States. For Alaska, Hawaii, and US territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands shipping is offered at reduced cost and is a pure pass-through cost with no mark-up added. All orders shipping anywhere other than the United States or US-territories mentioned above will incur actual shipping costs with no mark up. Contact me if you wish to purchase any products and will be shipping them to any of these locations.
Do you accept returns?
As all of my bags are hand-made to order, I do not accept returns at this time.
How long will it take to receive my new upcycled sailcloth bag?
I ship most orders via the United States Postal Service using Parcel Select service. The USPS quotes parcel select service delivery time at anywhere from 10-17 days, however my experience is that if you live on the East Coast, your bag may arrive in as few as three days and up to about seven days. If you live on the West Coast, it may take anywhere from about seven days up to 17 days to be delivered. The average seems to be about a week to nine days total.
What payment methods do you accept?
Shop with confidence! I accept credit card payments via Stripe®. You can also pay easily using Apple Pay® and Google Pay® right from your smart phone with one click. When you receive your billing statement, your purchase should show up as a transaction from TRIMMED-SAILS.COM TOTE.
What other recycled sail fabrics do you use to make tote bags?
As I am a member of a local Yacht Club, I sometimes come across an old sail that needs to be disposed of, and offer to take care of it for the member. This is not only a great way to reduce trash on the planet, but it allows me to make even more, and more unique bags. I have used laminate sailcloth in the past and still have a few yards left. Click here to see all the fabrics I currently have available for accents or entire bag construction.
How strong are the sailcloth tote bags?
Sailcloth, regardless of whether it’s Dacron or laminate, is very strong! It has to endure the forces of the wind after all. With that said however, no bag is indestructible. Sailcloth can tear or get holes in many ways — being cut or poked by sharp objects, or being dragged across a rough surface such as pavement or concrete. Dacron and laminate are synthetic products, so if they are put to fire or near a flame, they will melt as they burn, rather than smolder like cotton or linen would. So keep you bag away from fires.
I made an “ice” transport bag for my boat. It’s about three feet tall and holds about 5 big bags of ice. This is what we use when we want ice on the boat. These bags can hold a good amount of weight as they are sewn with nylon UV-resistant thread — the same type of thread I used to make my new sail.
Can I buy the recycled sailbag as a gift for someone?
Absolutely! These sailbags make great gifts for any occasion, especially for beach-themed or nautical-themed weddings. One of the things that makes it such a special gift is that I can add personal touches to commemorate a special date, add monogrammed initials, etc. If you have a special request for a wedding or shower, please contact me for a quote.
What is your relationship to SV Salinity?
SV Salinity is the name of my boat, and I have a separate website to start to capture all of our travels and adventures through a blog or vlog. I had the idea to do a blog site not long after we bought Salinity, but the Trimmed-Sails.com site came later…. after I made a new headsail and had all the old fabric to dispose of. I made one tote bag for myself and then everyone wanted one. That’s when I decided to hang a shingle and make tote bags with the remaining fabric. I decided to set up different URLS but the same branding so that if I stop making the sail bags, I don’t need to take down or radically change the svSalinity.com website. “SV” stands for “Sailing Vessel” to differentiate the boat from a power vessel when using VHF radio on the water. I am also a freelancer and my LLC is Media Partners Plus. Instead of setting up separate companies for all of these little endeavors, I just set up one umbrella LLC and have both Trimmed-Sails and SVSalinity fall under Media Partners Plus.
