Unique bags made from recycled car and bicycle inner tubes

About Nojram

Nojram is a studio overflowing with creativity and originality.

Recycling waste products is an important aspect of her vision:
“It gives a very satisfying feeling to give a second life to part of the large mountain of waste we produce.” Self-taught at heart, Nojram got to know the bicycle inner tube well over 10 years. With a love-hate relationship for the bicycle inner tube due to its size, elasticity and shape (round & convex), she has now made 350 bags. Her motto “Treasure your Trash”.
Meanwhile The shoulder bags and backpacks 
are a product in their own right: unique, exclusive, own design, handcrafted and made with love, customized if desired.

From old bicycle inner tube to exclusive bag

The process for preparing bicycle inner tubes for use in a bag is actually quite simple, although time-consuming. The bicycle inner tube is first cut open and then thoroughly cleaned, so that the smell of rubber partly disappears, but remains present, just like with leather.  Heating the bicycle inner tubes re-vulcanizes the rubber, giving the rubber of the old bicycle inner tube back its black color. After the design is conceived, the strips of bicycle inner tubes are sewn together. An ordinairy household sewing machine cannot handle this heavy work. Nojram uses a heavy industrial sewing machine with triple feed for a nice, sturdy result, possibly combined with other materials such as leather, sailmakers’ plastic, fabric, etc. The result is contemporary shoulder bags and backpacks with tough look, smell and touch, water-repellent, durable & strong.

Sustainable & Green

Cradle to cradle is a new perspective on, sustainable design and  production. This means that after the first use a product becomes a raw material for the next product. Since 2007, bicycle inner tubes have been classified as small chemical waste due to the chemical substances released during incineration. In the Netherlands, broken bicycle inner tubes must therefore be handed in at a waste disposal depots. The bicycle repairman pays for this and is happy when Nojram comes by to take bicycle inner tubes and transform them into a shoulder bag. Win win.

Strong, durable, flexible and waterproof

Bicycle inner tube is very practical material: hard-wearing, waterproof and easy to clean. The rubber is well-cleaned, so it hardly smells or transfers color. In use, bicycle inner tube even gets more beautiful, as the rubber takes on a soft sheen, due to friction with textiles when the shoulder bag is worn. Moreover, inner tube is easy to clean. And should it accidentally puncture, it is easy to repair with a sticker for bicycle inner tubes.

Commissioned work

If you have a great idea for a bag made of bicycle inner tubes, Nojram can make it for you on commission. You can discuss your ideas, wishes and budget in her studio, by e-mail and/or telephone. Old leather from your sofa or jacket, for example, can be reused in the bag in combination with bicycle inner tubes.  If your design is feasible and we have an agreement, you will receive a detailed description of your customized bag by e-mail, after which the making process begins.

The result is a customized gift for yourself or a loved one.

Where can Nojram bags be purchased?

Under the name Nojram, you can find me and my hand and shoulder bags, messengers, backpacks and wallets made of recycled rubber at art and creative markets, in galleries and pop-up stores. You can check the agenda on nojram.nl to see when I will be in your neighborhood. Or you can make an appointment by e-mail for a studio visit. Would you like to have these unique exclusive bags made of bicycle inner tubes in your shop? Then send a message to info@nojram.