This New Fashion Line Is Heavily Inspired by ... Ziploc Bags?

By Sarah Semple

Clear plastic totes and bags have recently become popular for sporting events, concerts and other places where large crowds are gathered. Ziploc might argue, though, that it was the original clear plastic bag. The Japanese company BEAMS Couture wants to bring the two ideas together. The company has teamed up with upcycling designer Keisuke Kanda on a Ziploc collection that also features a collab with Fruit of the Loom and Manhattan Portage, which means clear bags, accessories and even some apparel items, all branded with the Ziploc logo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8yQjdenyuY/

Apparently, this popular reusable storage bag and container brand is now becoming more than just a place to hold snacks. Last week, we covered the story on the Supreme Spring line collection, which included an unusual—but still very on-brand for Supreme—co-branded Ziploc bag, and now, there’s this entire collection dedicated to Ziploc-inspired items.

From the Supreme Spring line, in case you missed it:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8tvjysJMM7/

On its website, BEAMS Couture describes itself as “an ‘upcycle’ of original dead stock products and other items that are stored in BEAMS warehouses, mixed with used clothes and ribbons, and carefully hand-crafted one by one, to bring them back to unique, unique items.”

This collection doesn't just focus on the clear bags, but also other everyday items, like a wallet, PC case, passport case, umbrella, a Fruit of the Loom T-shirt and long sleeve T-shirt, and more. A number of these items are already sold out on the website.

As for the process of how they're made, it’s unclear if the items from BEAMS are upcycled using actual Ziploc bags or just decorated with the Ziploc logo. According to description of the Ziploc x BEAMS Couture tote bag, it’s a “tote bag that expresses the vinyl part by printing it overlaid with the image of Ziploc. The tabs at the mouth of the bag, which can be said to be the symbol of Ziploc, are also firmly expressed and finished with an impactful design.” That makes us believe it’s just the design that’s printed onto the PVC accessories and cotton apparel.

With the Ziploc x Fruit of the Loom x BEAMS COUTURE T-shirt, we were curious about the decoration. There wasn't much on that, but under the description and “notes on the product” there’s a piece about how to care for your T-shirt:

Precautions for use:

• The print may crack or fall off due to repeated wear and washing.

• When cleaning, use a net, turn it over and separate it from other products and wash it as shown. In the case of hand squeezing, it is light. In the case of a dehydrator, please do so in a short time so that prints do not stick to each other. Do not wash the printed area.

• When storing the product, make sure that no other objects hit the printed part.

• Avoid ironing the printed part.

That sounds like ... a lot. But it’s interesting to see how the Ziploc logo is portrayed on more than just a typical household item. It would also be interesting to see what other items could be made using this design or material. Who knows, maybe we’ll see items like a yoga mat in the future?