Sustotes: From Food Bags to Sustainable Fashion
At Great Performances, sustainability isn’t just a philosophy—it’s woven into everything we do, from the food we serve to the events we create. Our founder, Liz Neumark, has always championed creative ways to reduce waste. One day, while looking at the colorful flour, rice, and onion bags from our kitchens, she wondered: Why should these beautiful materials end up in the landfill?
That spark of inspiration led to Sustotes—durable, stylish tote bags crafted from materials that would otherwise be thrown away. Today, Sustotes are made not only from leftover ingredient bags but also from discontinued linens generously donated by Party Rental Ltd (PRL), one of the country’s leading event rental companies.
A Partnership in Sustainability: Party Rental LTD
PRL has long been committed to sustainability in the event industry, from maintaining a massive linen inventory in constant rotation to finding ways to reuse, repurpose, or recycle materials once they’re no longer needed. When manufacturers discontinue a print or design, PRL often has yardage left in storage. Instead of letting those fabrics sit unused, PRL donates them to local organizations and projects like ours.
These discontinued linens have become an exciting addition to our Sustotes line. Just like the grain and flour sacks, they’re practical, usable, and beautiful—infusing the totes with new textures, colors, and designs while preventing perfectly good fabric from ending up in the landfill.
PRL’s approach to sustainability extends well beyond donations like these. From recycling and repairing linens behind the scenes to exploring how “pink is the new green”, they’ve built sustainability into their operations. You can also read more about their initiatives on their sustainability page and learn about the life cycle of a linen.
By partnering with PRL, we’ve expanded Sustotes into something even more impactful: a project that reflects collaboration, creativity, and a shared commitment to sustainability.
Sustotes in the Hands of Artisans
To bring Sustotes to life, we collaborate with talented artisans who share our passion for craft and sustainability. One of them is Seneca, a designer and founder of the clothing brand Good Days. Seneca learned to sew as a child from her grandmother and has been working with recycled materials throughout her career.
For Seneca, working with grain sacks and linens posed unique challenges. She experimented with sewing machine settings to handle the heavy textures and learned how to adapt techniques for sturdier seams. But through that process came creativity: playful flourishes, durable stitching, and even whimsical details like burlap ruffles.
Seneca’s favorite bags? The ones made from chicken feed sacks—quirky, charming, and full of character. Like all Sustotes, they embody the spirit of reuse and reinvention.
Sustotes: Carrying Sustainability Forward with Great Performances
Projects like Sustotes remind us that sustainability isn’t only about big initiatives—it’s also about the small, creative choices that make a difference. By transforming food bags and linens into durable totes, we give new life to materials that might otherwise be wasted. The result is functional, beautiful, and a reflection of what happens when organizations and individuals come together around shared values.
For us at Great Performances, sustainability extends beyond our menus and events. It’s part of how we think, create, and engage with our community. We’re proud to showcase Sustotes during Climate Week as one example of how we’re reducing waste, building partnerships, and inspiring conversations around sustainability.
🌱 Want to see Sustotes for yourself? You can find them at Wave Hill, where they’re as functional as they are beautiful—perfect for carrying produce, books, or everyday essentials.
Together with artisans like Seneca and partners like Party Rental LTD, we’re carrying sustainability forward—one tote at a time.
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