Lancaster woman's unusual coffee bean sacks recycling venture goes global

Retired art lecturer, Anita Chamberlain, is recycling coffee bean sacks from Atkinsons in China Street and producing cushions and bags which are even being sold in America.

And any profits she makes from her hobby are being donated to the Lancaster-based campaign, Defying Dementia, in memory of her grandma and of her husband’s father who both died from the disease.

“It’s an issue which is close to my heart,” said Anita who lives in Lancaster and volunteers at the Defying Dementia shop in Church Street.

The former lecturer at Edge Hill and Cumbria Universities is also a member of Lancaster’s Sewing Café and opposed to ‘fast fashion’ so she is interested in recycling materials.

“When I was in Atkinsons, I saw they were giving away some green coffee bean sacks and I really liked their unique colour so I recycled them into bags and cushions. I sold them at the shop and on Instagram and they seemed popular,” Anita explained.

Among her customers is a café owner in Michigan who spotted Anita’s bags and cushions online and asked her to send some for her to sell there – so her products have now gone global!

Each bag is unique with one side made from a coffee bean sack and the other made from repurposed materials. They cost £25 and the cushions are priced at £10. They can be bought on Instagram – anitaillustrator2022