Lyn Hellewell

About the practice

Lyn Hellewell is the Designer and Maker behind RECOLAB. Every bag that leaves her workshop carries a piece of her passion for sustainability and craftsmanship. Lyn believes that a lot of waste is just a misplaced resource, and she loves transforming all manner of reclaimed materials into beautiful, functional pieces. From yacht sails that have navigated the water's of Tasmania and beyond, to decommissioned billboards from high-end advertising campaigns and community art projects, each material brings its own one-of-a-kind character and story to your custom bag. RECOLAB began from a simple idea: much of what is treated as waste is simply a misplaced resource. Based in Tasmania, designer and maker Lyn Hellewell collects retired yacht sails, decommissioned advertising billboards, abandoned festival tents and upholstery fabrics, then transforms them into functional bags with visible histories and distinctive character. Each piece is handmade in RECOLAB’s Tasmanian workshop. The studio combines traditional sailmaking methods with contemporary design, using marine-grade, UV-protected hardware, automotive-grade webbing, double-sewn seams and polyester binding tape to ensure the bags are rugged and long-lasting. RECOLAB works in two ways: it sells ready-made one-off bags from its current stock of reclaimed sailcloth, and it creates bespoke commissions from materials supplied by clients. Customers can send their own sails, uniforms or other meaningful fabrics to be remade, with options for personalisation such as initials, numbers or logos. Most custom bags are completed within two to three weeks of design approval.