Carolyn Newton is the founder and Chief Whale of Whalebags. In Easter 2007, whilst on school holidays, Carolyn, a teacher from Bristol became so fed up with plastic bags breaking and digging into her hands as she struggled to get into her top floor flat that she decided to do something about it. After researching the reusable bag market, Carolyn was disappointed with what was on offer. She was also horrified to learn just how devastating the impact of plastic bags is on the environment. The damage caused to the ocean and marine wildlife struck a particular cord, as Carolyn has always been passionate about the sea. It was time to act! She borrowed a friend’s sewing machine and began designing her own bag.

Carolyn knew that it would be difficult to get people to change their behaviour unless it was easy and convenient for them to do so. With this in mind she designed her Whalebag to fit into a small pocket making it easily transportable. The first Whalebag design, a rucksack, called the Humpback is a unique product; an ideal way to carry shopping especially for people who cycle and use public transport. The second design is the extremely popular Blue Whale shoulder bag.

Since setting up the business in 2007 Carolyn has sold bags to independent retailers in Bristol, Stroud and London and is working hard to build relationships with some of the big retailers. As consumer awareness about plastic bags continues to increase so does the demand for alternatives. This is extremely positive for Whalebags and an exciting future lies ahead.

What started out as a personal quest to help the environment and improve her own shopping experience has now become an exciting business.