About the Maker
Makeshifter Canvas Works is a one-woman canvas bag company founded upon the belief that there is a place for handsome, characterful handcrafted items in the bicycle industry. USA-milled canvas and wool are the primary materials used, creating bags that are as durable and functional as they are attractive.
Makeshifter’s home is on the stolen ancestral lands of the Clackamas, Cowlitz, and Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde-including Atfalati, Multnomah, Kalapuya, Yamhill and many other bands and tribes, currently known as Portland, Oregon.
I started Makeshifter Canvas Works with a mission to bring alternative products to the bike industry, and to help casual cyclists feel more welcome, represented, and inspired by the cycling world. Makeshifter bags channel the love for a slow and rambling ride, a disregard for competitive ideals, and a sense of whimsy and humor that I hope will invite all to ride more.
When I started bike touring years ago, I was disappointed by the existing options for cycling bags--mostly synthetic, characterless, techy--and began designing and constructing my own bags. I sought an aesthetic that would pay homage to the cultures and places through which I pedal: the vibrant, art-filled city of Portland, rich Northwest forests and high desert, and an ancestral landscape that includes Indigenous cultures and traditional handcrafts. The materials, colors, patterns and design details you see in every Makeshifter product are a celebration of these roots.
Local pickup
If you live in the Portland area and don't want your item shipped, choose "Local Pickup" as your shipping option and you will not be charged for shipping. You'll receive an email when your order is ready for pickup. The pickup location is Golden Pliers Bicycle Repair & Supply in the Overlook neighborhood of North Portland. Golden Pliers also carries a full selection of Makeshifter products, and sometimes has colors or products not available online.
Do you wholesale?
As of September 2020, I am no longer accepting new wholesale accounts. Existing wholesale accounts will be honored :)