Retired Quebec couple turns pool liners, spa covers into bags of all kinds
As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and one retired couple is taking that to the next level by transforming what would have gone into the garbage into bags of all kinds.
Each stitch and seam is a commitment to sustainability for Josee Bolduc and Serge Gauthier, who may be retired but are still at work.
In 2018, they realized companies were throwing out surplus materials that are not recyclable, such as pool linings, spa covers and lawn chairs. So they started making bags to give them a second life.
"It's a matter of giving back to the planet," said Gauthier, one half of Miss Projetsss. "In this time of buying things and throwing them away, we want to try to eliminate that."
Serge Gauthier. (Maria Sarrouh/CTV News)
The company's name was inspired by Bolduc. Gauthier affectionately calls her "Miss Projetsss."
She sews between 500 to 600 bags per year. Her mom taught her the craft, and now she can use it for good.
"I'm very proud," says Bolduc. "The dream, it's continue."
Their community has come together to support them, with a network of suppliers stepping up.
One of their biggest partners is Grandchamp Structure Design, which manufactures tents for large events and donates scraps that would otherwise end up in the dumpster.
"It's a really tough fabric, it's made to last a long time over the winds and the rains, so it works perfect," said production manager Nelson Grandchamp.
Their bestseller is the lunchbox. It takes about three hours to make by hand and is designed to last for at least a decade. The inserts are made with materials left over from hospital mattresses, with the help of Samuel Belanger of Belpro Medical.
"One is a PVC that we use at the bottom of the mattresses, and the other fabric we use at the top," says Belanger.
No two bags are the same.
And at $40 for a lunch box and $20 for a grocery bag, they're not cheap. But the Miss Projetsss team says they're built to last, adding it's a more sustainable way to go in the long run.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Say it to my face': Singh confronts heckling protester on Parliament Hill
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confronted a protester for calling him a 'corrupted bastard' on Parliament Hill on Tuesday.
Poilievre's first chance to topple Trudeau government expected next week
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is set to get his first chance to topple Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government next week, CTV News has confirmed.
Why it's 'very hard' to find work in Canada
Vacancies have steadily fallen since the glut of nearly one million open posts in 2022. At the time, one in three businesses had trouble hiring staff due to a labour shortage. Since then, vacancies have dropped.
Judge orders Sean 'Diddy' Combs jailed in sex trafficking and racketeering charges
Sean 'Diddy' Combs presided over a sordid empire of sexual crimes, coercing and abusing women for years while using blackmail and shocking acts of violence to keep his victims in line, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday.
Hezbollah hit by a wave of exploding pagers and blames Israel. At least 9 dead, thousands injured
Pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded near simultaneously in Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday, killing at least nine people.
Two people charged in murder of Halifax teen; police believe remains have been found
Halifax Regional Police believe Devon Sinclair Marsman, who disappeared in 2022, was the victim of a homicide and two people have now been charged in his death.
Canucks' Dakota Joshua reveals he is recovering from cancer
Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua revealed Tuesday he underwent cancer treatment over the summer, and will not be ready to play when the team’s training camp begins later this week.
Liberal campaign co-chair calls Montreal byelection loss a 'dry run' for general election
Liberal campaign co-chair Soraya Martinez Ferrada says her party’s Montreal byelection loss — in a riding that has historically been a party stronghold — is a “dry run” for the next general election.
What is racketeering? The crime, explained
Sex trafficking, cheating scandals and mob activity may appear very different. But all fall under the broad umbrella of racketeering.