Thursday, March 06, 2008

The little bag that travelled the world




These photos were sent to me by a Bloom customer. Lee works for the Clinton Foundation in Phnom Penh (the organisation helps fight the spread of AIDS) and visited the Bloom shop at the Russian Market. Later, he asked us to custom make a messenger bag for him, using a rice sack brought all the way from Tibet. The bag then travelled with Lee to San Francisco (and elsewhere I'm sure!) The rice sacks in Tibet are unique, with pictures of Yaks on them. Here in Cambodia, we only get fish and other farm animals, or pictures of the countryside. Here is an except of Lee's email:

"The Yak bags turned out great! Here's a photo! I carry mine with me everywhere now. Thank you so much for the excellent design and the quick turnaround. I was in a San Francisco club last weekend, and saw someone with a similar bag, but with a Jellyfish on it. I thought we had an instant bond! I think this design is really taking off in places like NY and SF..."

It's so cool people all over the world are using recycled products now. I really hope the idea will take off in a big way globally, which would be great news for Bloom bags!

6 comments:

boromey said...

all true!!!
my bag makes me stand out in any crowd, no matter where i go
people stare, people ask
and i'm happy to tell the story behind it )))
many-many thanks!!!!
olga

Diana Saw said...

Hi Olga! Is that really you? I'm so happy you got in touch. I have been wondering how you are getting on, but I didn't have your email. Are you in the US now? Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying yourself! I miss your cheerful company!

As for Alan and I, we moved to Siem Reap in November last year. It's a quieter town, so Alan prefers it. Still have not gone to Battambang or Preah Vihear though!

I'm really glad to hear you like your Bloom bag! And it's so cool people are interested in a bag made from recycled rice sacks. Please send me your email Olga!

Joom reap lier, soksabay!
Diana

boromey said...

suesday!!!
it's me, really-really )))
i've been reading your blog, actually
it doesn't let me forget my wonderful summer )))
i'm doing fine, just got back to russia from canada
still trying to graduate ))
here's my email
levina.olga@gmail.com
drop me a line sometime!
cheers!
olga

Katherine said...

HI,
got to your blog from the EA site. was reading your thing about no public transport- this is my least fave thing about living here (in Phnom Penh). My husband is Khmer (i'm aussie) and he said they tried out a bus system , i think around 1997, but only on the main streets. but he heard they didn't go with it cos all the motodup guy protested they would lose money, and also ppl couldn't be bothered to go to the bus stop. I guess when you're used to door to door on motodups buses on bus routes aren't as good. if only pp had buses my life would be so much easier!
i've got heaps of traffic posts on my blog...

Katherine said...

oops, i didn't mean 1997, i meant around 2000

Diana Saw said...

Hi Kimsoeun and Katherine,

Thanks for the comments! Somehow I don't think the motodop protests would have meant much to the government...

The point about the bus stops is a good one, I didn't think about that. If the bus was serving only the city, they would have a problem--people here are rich enough to afford the moto.

The bus company would have been serving the "suburbs", which is where they are needed, like Chhbar Ampou, across the Monivorng Bridge. There are many poor people living there who work in the city and who cycle to work because they cannot afford to take the moto.

Personally, I believe the bus company folded because it simply could not make money. No doubt official taxes added to the lack of demand contributed to the failure.

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