Retired Quebec couple turns pool liners, spa covers into bags of all kinds

Transforming pools into precious products A couple in Montreal transforms old pools into bags and lunchboxes.

As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and one retired couple is taking that to the next level by transforming what would have gone into the garbage into bags of all kinds.

Each stitch and seam is a commitment to sustainability for Josee Bolduc and Serge Gauthier, who may be retired but are still at work.

In 2018, they realized companies were throwing out surplus materials that are not recyclable, such as pool linings, spa covers and lawn chairs. So they started making bags to give them a second life.

"It's a matter of giving back to the planet," said Gauthier, one half of Miss Projetsss. "In this time of buying things and throwing them away, we want to try to eliminate that."

The company's name was inspired by Bolduc. Gauthier affectionately calls her "Miss Projetsss."

She sews between 500 to 600 bags per year. Her mom taught her the craft, and now she can use it for good.

"I'm very proud," says Bolduc. "The dream, it's continue."

Their community has come together to support them, with a network of suppliers stepping up.

One of their biggest partners is Grandchamp Structure Design, which manufactures tents for large events and donates scraps that would otherwise end up in the dumpster.

"It's a really tough fabric, it's made to last a long time over the winds and the rains, so it works perfect," said production manager Nelson Grandchamp.

Their bestseller is the lunchbox. It takes about three hours to make by hand and is designed to last for at least a decade. The inserts are made with materials left over from hospital mattresses, with the help of Samuel Belanger of Belpro Medical.

"One is a PVC that we use at the bottom of the mattresses, and the other fabric we use at the top," says Belanger.

No two bags are the same.

And at $40 for a lunch box and $20 for a grocery bag, they're not cheap. But the Miss Projetsss team says they're built to last, adding it's a more sustainable way to go in the long run.