The Kilakutu Bag

I love a bag. A nice, sturdy bag with handles that rest comfortably on my shoulder and are long
enough for me to hook my thumb underneath as I carry it.

I found that in this fabulous bag my husband bought me in Nairobi. It’s designed by the woman behind Black Fly Designs (@blackflydesigns). I’ve since moved to Hawaii, much too far to purchase one again. I had two and used them constantly — so much so that one got a bit beaten up. Crestfallen, because
purchasing another one would have been cost-prohibitive at the time, I decided to deconstruct the
one on its last legs. I made a pattern from it, like my Auntie Sandy had taught me to do, and made one of my own. It was like a dream come true. I got so many compliments on the bag, and after some encouragement from fellow creatives Kumi from KB Creations and Nicole Woo (@seedrising), I decided to make a few for Pockets of Orange.

As I build this business, I am making every effort to be thoughtful, kind, responsible, and to
move with integrity — to be about abundance as opposed to scarcity. Keeping in mind that there
is enough for all of us to be successful, I reached out to @blackflydesigns in Nairobi and asked if
she was comfortable with my making a bag inspired by the one she sells in Kenya. Her response
was, “Of course, and by the way, well done.” I was elated that she wasn’t offended or angry. I let
her know I’d highlight her inspiration on my website. She does have her own website, but she
doesn’t use it at this time — you can see her bags and her other gorgeous designs on her
Instagram, @blackflydesigns.

I named the bag the Kila Kitu Bag. Kila kitu means “everything” in Kiswahili. This bag is made
for the folks who think, “Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” You
can carry the groceries in this, your kids’ beach toys and water bottles, the weekly library haul,
or your work tools. It’s for the person who usually forgets the reusable bag when shopping but
has enough room to just toss those random items in the Kilakitu bag they’re already carrying.

The bag is deep and reinforced with heavy-duty canvas, which gives it a bit of structure, though
it will soften nicely over time. This bag was made to go through the paces with you for years, but
to extend its life for as long as possible, I’d recommend gentle hand-washing and air drying. I do
not recommend putting the bag in the dryer at all — air drying will keep your bag’s seams and
colors looking great for the long haul.

Each bag is unique. You’re sure to have a one-and-only. I’m the only maker in this biz, so I work
in slow batches. This means when I show up at a pop-up, I might only have five or six bags, and
once they sell out, that’s it until the next market. However, if you really want one, you can also
place an order on the website.

So excited about Kilakitu. You’ll be seeing her a lot now.