Snappy new snap (with a story) for the Traffic Cone Bag

The new snap applied to the large Traffic Cone Bag

Thanks to Serena at Assunta for these - a first look at the new snaps. The orange one goes on the orange side. 

It's one small step for a factory in China, one giant leap for the kaizen of the Traffic Cone Bag: these new, engraved snaps featuring a TRAFFIC CONE will soon replace the current plain snap on the small and large TCB's.

Thanks to Beijing-based Serena Assunta Store, I was able to get just 1000 of these made, which is considered a very small quantity - the minimum is usually 10,000. I did of course pay a premium for the smaller quantity, but I'm of the "need to have" mentality - though it crossed my mind to empty 10,000 in the bathtub, dive in and pretend I was in that Powerball ad ...

So why China, when I've been saying all along, New York, New York, if I can make it here, I'll not make it elsewhere? As I have learned in this little project, it is almost impossible to get small quantities of anything like this made locally for a reasonable price. I am fortunate to get my modest quantities of Taslan, Neon Polyester, 3M Grosgrain ribbon and hardware from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics in Idaho, the woven labels from Heirloom Labels New Jersey, and of course, get the sewing done by Caroline Fu in the Garment District of New York City, who you can read about in my FastCompany post. Of course, some of these items are manufactured offshore, but at least I am supporting local businesses.

The best thing about these snaps is that Serena runs a wonderful charity in China called Little Flower Projects which offers a home for abandoned and needy children, including, sadly, a hospice. All proceeds from her Assunta Store go towards helping these kids. Some of the work they do is amazing, and the kids' conditions, heartbreaking, like this one about the children with the rare genetic skin disorder EB. Read this and be amazed, from the Assunta Store About:

We are Americans living in China; we have been here working with abandoned babies and disabled orphans for the past 15 years. We never planned to set up a store, yet over the years we have seen a great demand for the items that we use in our projects. We have had many requests to supply snaps, presses, sewing notions, diapers etc at a reasonable cost; Assunta Store is our answer. We sell items that we use ourselves, so we are confident of the quality and understand how they work. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about our products.
All sales from this store support Little Flower Projects . China Little Flower is a non-profit organization caring for disabled and dying orphaned children in China. Little Flower cares for orphans in a number of projects ... read more

Please go and take a look at the tremendous and selfless work done by Little Flower Projects check out their blog and like their Facebook page which is alternately uplifting and heartbreaking. Thank you Judy from KamSnaps in California, who generously referred me to Serena. This is what community is all about - paying and playing it forward, onwards, upwards!

Order a made-in-'merica Traffic Cone Bag (If you want one with these new, traffic cone engraved  snaps, it will arrive August early 2012, otherwise the regular one is available now).