While at the 2025 Travel Goods Show in Las Vegas, NV, we discovered a sustainable company that uses environmentally-friendly materials in their bags such as recycled fabrics, organic cotton, bio-based materials, and recycled plastic bottles. The sign at their booth caught my eye, “These bags are trash.” Check out our interview below with Ashley Nelson from Monarc:
How did Monarc get started?
Well, we started in 2020, actually, our founder started in 2017, but through Covid and all the things, it’s been a bit delayed. So, for five years is how long we’ve been in business. We have a storefront in Boise, Idaho. The bags are the first bags to be released that are plastic negative.
Which means that for every pound we use in producing them and creating the fabric, which is constructed of recycled plastic bottles, that’s two pounds removed from the ocean. So right now, our cleanup efforts are focused in India ’cause there’s a huge pollution problem there.
So, the cleanup efforts are through Repurpose Global. We work with them and we’re also pursuing domestic partnerships for cleanup efforts at least a couple times a year, that we ourselves, as the owners of the company, actually go out and clean up waterways and, and things that are domestic.
Such a good cause.
Thank you.
They talked about you guys on a panel earlier and someone asked, “What about travel and sustainability?” They were like, oh, well you should check out the booth for Monarc ’cause that’s what they’re all about. I was like, let me check that out. I remembered.
I so appreciate that and we’re all for sustainability, but there’s no doubt it’s become a catchy word and it’s definitely trendy and what that means has become quite a variable thing. So, our philosophy is we don’t want to just be sustainable. We want to contribute to the solution of the problem, not create more of the problem.
Exactly.
So that’s a lot of what is also part of the new module line, the one that we just released. It’s very simplistic in nature, but everything that is around that central pack fits within that pack and it’s for safe travel. There’s no zippers on the outside where someone can, you know, no thefts can be committed and things like that.
Those bags are constructed off of what’s called ninja cuts and those cuts, in the industry are considered cuts that produce the least amount of waste, that utilize the maximum amount of the fabric. So there’s not a lot of scraps as result of creating that design. So that’s why they are minimalist in nature because it just basically reduces the waste of the material itself.
Amazing. That’s such good company history. Thank you.
Yeah, no, absolutely. Thank you.
For more information on Monarc and their bags, visit: www.monarcbrand.com and follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monarcbrand/
About the Author
Christy started Disarray because she missed writing what she wanted. With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), she covers conventions, expos, music, fashion, food and events. From hiring writers, to contacting publicists and making assignments, Christy is responsible for the editorial strategy of Disarray. Questions, comments or interview requests? Contact Christy@disarraymagazine.com – You can also follow her on Instagram and TikTok.
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