I really love this messenger bag repurposed from vintage military ponchos. The bags were constructed by Melissa from Mississauga, Ontario. The bag is currently SOLD OUT, but you can find Melissa and her “Yah Bag” brand of goods at The One Of A Kind Show in Toronto from November 29th - December 4th.
If you’d like to try repurposing your own Beligian military ponchos, I’ve sourced them myself from The Sportsman’s Guide, 2 for $20. Quite a deal. If you get matching pair, you can connect them to make a great field tent.
A word of warning, the ponchos from The Sportsman’s Guide have been in storage for decades, so you have to really work to get any potential “musty” smell out. I soaked the pair I bought in vinegar and hot water, then washed them in very hot water with an extra rinse cycle. It worked great. Washing them in hot water will put some distressed lines to the color and finish of the fabric. It added to the charm for me. I intend to turn them into oil skin with a wax finish so I the finish didn’t matter.
