Our Mission
We want to do our bit to reduce plastic waste entering New Zealand landfills.
Pool toys are made out of PVC, a type of plastic that is not recyclable in New Zealand. So we're taking this material and extending its life, repurposing popped pool toys into fun, functional, splash proof bags.
We were inspired (and want to inspire others) to think differently about our consumerist culture and wasteful ways.
Meet the Maker
Hey, I’m Nina.
I clean, cut and sew your bags from my Dad’s garage in Auckland (shoutout to Rossco). As an ocean lover, and a concerned human, the idea for I Used To Be was born out of frustration with our throwaway society and the challenge of reducing plastic pollution.
These bags have been hitting the beach and the streets since 2019. I wanted to create bags that are unique, fun and practical – something that can be used every day in many ways.
The Process
I Used To Be is all about embracing flaws and imperfections.
In our bags’ previous lives, some have been Instagram pool stars and others have been kids entertainers. This means that every piece is unique and has it’s own story to tell.
Instead of throwing them in the bin, Kiwis from all around the country donate popped and deflated pools toys. From sad swans to limp lilos, we use them all!
Each toy is cut by hand to ensure there is as little waste as possible. It also means no two bags are the same.
We design our bags, mixing and matching, playing with colour and pattern combos until they’re just right!
They’re sewn together by hand (in the aforementioned garage).
We then send them out into the world to make their next splash, in recycled packaging from r3pack of course!
We love to hear how you’re using your bags, this warmed our hearts: This bag used to be an inflatable slice of pizza, before helping our customer keep her dirty firefighting clothes contained as she helped battle the devastating bush fires in Australia. 💚
Press
Inflatable pool toys find a second life as waterproof accessories
Meet the woman turning your old pool toys into bags
Go on, repurpose your porpoise