● PARRISH ANDRÉ● ABOUT● MORE

● PITTSBURGH’S MESSENGER BAG

 Reclaiming a city’s unique material signature 











The right bag can make all the difference for a biker, but the state of the textile industry is disasterous. This messenger bag was made here, in Pittsburgh, with discarded fabric from the local Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock. 




● MATERIAL

Fifty years after the steel collapse, the environmental, economic and social impacts of steel are still potent and complex in Pittsburgh.



























I sourced this discarded filtration bag from Pittsburgh’s last remaining steel plant to inspire people to consider their connection to steel’s legacy. Pittsburgh owes nearly everything to this industry. To touch a piece of it every day is a rich experience that would be unique for every Pittsburgh resident. 












● DYEING





After sourcing the material, I processed it by repeatedly washing and scouring with soda ash. After some natural dye tests, I decided on logwood extract for a steely grey-blue. 












For the illusion of rust, I created a mordant out of vinegar and rusted items I had been collecting around Pittsburgh. It developed for a few weeks until I was ready to post-mordant. 













● PATTERNING


For the form of the bag, I patterned by hand, aiming for a spacious, attractive and distinctly ungendered design. I included a laptop sleeve and two roomy front pockets.







I decided on two external pockets, one internal pocket and a laptop sleeve. 














● STRAP SYSTEM



The power of messenger bags is their ability to adjust from a cross body position to secured on one’s back. Most models on the market employ a stabilizing strap that ignores female or plus size anatomy and crosses over the breast. I redesigned the strapping system to function for a broader range of bodies. 






 


The solution was a custom adjustable G-clip and loop system. I prototyped with 3D printing, and then had it milled on a CNC out of 0.187” 6061 T6 Aluminum. I shaped them by sandblasting and filing by hand. If I had the time, I would have liked to sandcast these from steel waste.






 









The center strap tightens around the contents of the bag, and can also be used to tighten the bag into a roll for easy storage and transportation. I am considering options for downtube attachment on the next iteration. 











● THE FINAL PRODUCT


Every place has a unique material signature derived from its natural resources and resulting industries. As we advance in our use of recycled materials, I believe it is meaningful to draw directly from what makes our city or town its own. In Pittsburgh, steel is everything. This messenger bag is of its place, and for its people.