Mafia Bags creates beautifully designed, highly utilitarian bags from used sail and kite materials. As a former professional kitesurfer, founder Marcos Mafia was inspired to make use of stock piles of used sails and kites destined for the landfill by turning them into versatile bags for everyday use. Their regenerative design ethos extents into the material choice for straps and hardware, often making use of previously used outdoor gear. Made in California and often in collaboration with top designers, these bags represent the pinnacle of quality and innovation. Their lifetime warranty that comes standard with all their bags is a further testament to their promise of eliminating unnecessary waste. Mafia is a clear leader in quality, craftsmanship, design and environmental stewardship.

Their latest bag, the Deep Blue Bag, was made in collaboration with world renowned designer, Yves Béhar and nonprofit, Sustainable Surf, an ocean conservation organization based in San Francisco. This sleek and minimalist designed bag boasts tons of technical features making it a highly functional and user-friendly bag. Perhaps the coolest feature is the hidden water bottle holder that makes use of a drysuit cuff. The rubberized gasket keeps the bottle secured even when turned upside down, yet can be easily removed when desired.

What’s Good:
Their bags are sure to impress those who appreciate great design and offer many thoughtful touches that the everyday user will appreciate. Waste diversion is a huge plus and Mafia Bags goes out of their way to limit the use of virgin material. Lastly, collaborations with other influencers in the space is right on point and appears to be a way for them to gain exposure.

Thoughts on where to expand:

As the the brand grows, there could be a great opportunity for them to open a second hand, online market place. This would ensure that their bags get passed on and avoid landfill as long as possible while also growing customer lifetime value and retention.

Being a small brand they have no doubt done an exceptional job creating a great product but there is currently a missed opportunity to create many loyal customers through their marketing channels. This could be accomplished through strong original content that highlights their ecological impact and leans more heavily on storytelling. People like to feel good about supporting a brand like this and there is room for Mafia Bags to create a strong community of passionate customers who are totally devoted to their mission.

There is no doubt that Mafia Bags is a leader in reclaimed, regenerative products and that they offer a highly refined product for those interested in reducing environmental impact when purchasing their next bag.

Buy: $195