● 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 its own. In Pittsburgh, steel is everything. This messenger bag is of its place, and for its people.