Where a retired sail starts a second life
They may have crossed the seven seas, they may have faced storms and high waves. Yet when their time comes, old sails are quietly discarded and replaced by new ones. Now, these old sails can be given a second life thanks to J-M sails and bags, based in Rimini, Italy.
Who are we?
J-M sails and bags was founded by Jean-Martin Grisar who has a passion for sailing and sails.
"One day, a renowned sail maker asked me to give a hand in his loft. Working for him gave me the opportunity to learn new skills from the best in the business and race. I sailed quite a few miles in a big variety of boats, ranging from small dinghies to maxi-yachts, beach cats to ocean racing multihulls."
After a few years it was time to move on. "That’ s how I got involved in the America’ s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, TP52, privately owned sailing projects and work as a consultant sail-maker for teams and sail lofts. My main job was beside making the yachts go at their highest potential true sail optimisation, looking after, repair the sails. Another really cool part of the work was developing soft (sailcloth and canvas) solutions for yachts. Think about bunks, stacking systems, covers, different kind of bags to store ankers, food, tools, charts, sails, and every other imaginable item on a boat. Every project is different in size, shape, material and has to be practical and sturdy. This is also where I first thought about founding this business".
Time came for a new challenge: Upcycle materials I love to work with into stylish bags, accessories and home .decoration. original idea is to use discarded sails to create high-quality bags, travel gear, accessories and decoration that would be sturdy yet elegant, fit for daily use, a sailing regatta or for a party on dry land. 
Not just another bag.
Our motto is “More than a brand/bag, carry a story around”. We offer more than just another item everyone can buy. Every J-M sails and bags product is one of a kind and in our bags you will find an "Especially made for " label with some information about the sail’s previous life: what boat it hails from, which seas it has travelled, competitions it has taken part in... The people who give us their sails tell us their story, which we record and combine with our own research to get a clearer picture. Transforming retired sails into objects that have their own history, may acquire new stories along the way
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Made by hand from upcycled sails.
All J-M sails and bags products are 100% handcrafted in Italy. However, what really sets J-M sails and bags apart is its philosophy of upcycling. It is important not just to protect the environment, but to give something back to society. Upcycling means lending life to a used material not only by recycling it but by upgrading it into something functional that will be used on an everyday basis. " At J-M sails and bags, upcycled and sustainable are not afterthoughts. They are the cornerstones of our brand".