‘The WREN design’ is range of bags inspired by the possibility of materials and their stories.

The brand started out of a want for a bag that had a story, was beautiful and was not mass-produced. The need was for a bag that was simple and practical. Wendren – the founder, could not find a bag that met both her want and need and so after a year or so of searching, ‘The WREN design‘ was born in 2008.

Since then the company has grown and the products have developed.

‘The WREN design‘ started out with just Wendren cutting fabric on the floor of her flat and sewing in her kitchen. Two great seamstresses – Fatima & Zerina – started helping out and by the end of 2009 they had both quit their day jobs to work from home, freelancing fulltime for ‘The WREN design’. Today there are a further three seamstresses who have joined the team, working part time for helping sew and prepare orders – Jenny, Lovemore & Anita.

Behind the people, beside the customer and in front of them is the material with a story. Materials that inspire are those that have already had a life (for example, the coffee sacks that have transported coffee beans all around the world or the antique linen grain sacks woven between 1880 and 1910), or ones that could not fulfill their original purpose (for example, cement packaging rejects). These bags, as material, have the potential to continue on: for you to share in their story or them in yours.

Almost all the main materials have natural beginnings and where possible organic and/or natural fabrics are used to compliment them. Everything is considered when designing and creating – no fake materials or fabricated stories here.