I’ve been thinking about the tote bag lately, and how I’ve completely subverted its goal of reducing waste by amassing a large collection of them. This thought inspired an experimental alphabet. To create it, I removed the strap of a stained, thrifted tote bag and threaded a wire through it to create 3-dimensional letterforms.
I created several iterations of each letter before compiling the final type specimen poster, which features the backstory of the typeface:
Tote Text was made from the canvas strap of a thrifted, stained tote bag. I ran a wire through the length of the fabric, allowing the letters to be sculpted three-dimensionally. Honoring its reusable roots, the entire alphabet was created with a single piece of fabric.