About Project Tote

Growing up, a prominent part of my culture has always been vibrant, handcrafted artistry, including textiles, patterns, and embroidery. Whether seen in traditional clothing, shoes, or other parts, I became quickly inspired to incorporate such techniques into my own art.

However, after a recent trip to India, I was motivated by an aspect much bigger. Despite the beautiful culture of my country, its talented community is submerged within struggles of economic disparity and environmental harm that are closely intertwined. I’ve come to notice that communities with fewer resources, such as India, are subjected to single-use plastics and disposable goods by default, where it comes down to the affordable option. Across the world, sustainability is a privilege, and unfortunately too many don’t have it.

For this, I have designed and created handmade tote bags to sell where 100% of proceeds from sales are donated to organizations or efforts working toward a more sustainable future, including Sustain Dane, a Madison-based nonprofit focused on community sustainability.

Looking globally, Project Tote also works to distribute simple, reusable bags in areas where access to sustainable alternatives is limited. Beyond distribution, Project Tote has also begun a collaboration working with artisans from marginalized communities to showcase their craft. The goal is to give that work the visibility it deserves, compensate makers fairly for their time and skill, grow a team to expand this project, and ultimately build a model where sustainability and equity reinforce each other.