About Unusual Additions

I love reclaiming materials, always have.

My name is Franca. Growing up in a house in Kanton Uri built over 570 years ago in 1452, with an attic and cellar as large as a warehouse, was a playground like no other. There were many opportunities for treasure hunts and finds of old and odd things. We were 3 generations and later 4 generations that lived alongside each other, occupying different sections of the house. My family worked in the restaurant in the same house. In this home I developed a love for the old and used and a love for creation.

My grandmother was a sewer and a knitter and her studio was stacked to the brim with materials to create practical things such as jumpers, socks, dresses - and not forgetting costumes for the yearly carnivals. She let us, my siblings and me do almost whatever we wanted to in that room.  

Creativity was born.

Reclaiming and repurposing

In my early 20s I did extensive travels in countries not as privileged as the country I grew up in. This opened my eyes. Left, right, and centre I found people reclaiming and repurposing materials to get around daily needs. Like using degraded car tyres and making sandals from them, or using tins to make kids’ toys - the list goes on.

Moving to Melbourne and later renovating a house, I cherished hard rubbish collection days where households could place almost anything they didn’t want or need anymore onto the nature strip where it all got collected by trucks. That’s where I and so many others went treasure hunting or shopping as I like to call it. Most of my house renovations are made from materials found on nature strips. 

Working in the arts and theatre world I also reclaimed much material that was not needed after a production closed their doors, such as advertising banner materials, staging props and old rigging materials. 

I feel good about reuse, reclaim, repurpose or whatever we want to name this phenomenon of not wasting perfectly good materials that otherwise would end up in landfill. I believe I am making a difference and that this is my part of contribution.  

What led me to Unusual Additions Bags

I always loved good storage. So it’s no surprise that I love a good, solid and tough bag that can hold up to almost anything. Also the predecessor of the house I’m living in was called ‘the bag lady from Sunshine’ and was a collector of many things. So it makes sense with my love of making, good storage, and not wasting perfectly good materials, I’m making new meaning from the title ‘bag lady’.

I also was lucky enough to get a phone call from a local renowned bag factory telling me if I still had interest in sewing machines I could come around and check them out. Some years earlier I left my contact details with them, just incase they were upgrading their machines one day. I went around and learned then, that they were moving the factory overseas and if wanted to I could also buy the many leftover rolls of fabric of them. So I did!

For the Bags I use much repurposed rigging materials such as retired webbing, rope, harnesses and hardware. I also use reclaimed heavy duty banners, tarps, acrobatic mat covers and canvas materials, which some of it was used originally to advertise upcoming shows such as Melbourne International Arts Festival, Fringe Festival and Opera Australia. But the main material used for bags from Unusual Additions is a mix of denier fabric that is mostly made from recycled pre-consumer nylon or polyester and is specially designed for making bags and backpacks that can withstand the outdoors. These denier fabrics are very robust, tear resistance and pre-impregnated in the manufacturing process and therefore water repellent. But if the water no longer runs of the bag, it is advised to renew the waterproofing with a textile waterproofing spray.