About Us

Hi! I'm Dawn.

First things first...

I'm not military.

I've never served, my husband never served, and no one in my immediate family has served.

I'm simply what I like to call a Patriotic Peep!

I'm thankful to live in America, and I love showing my pride in the Red, White & Blue. That's what inspired Recycled Military Bags—a boutique collection of uniquely beautiful bags crafted from repurposed military canvas with rugged charm, boutique style, and a patriotic soul.

A Little About Me

Believe it or not, this business started as a passion project.

Before Recycled Military Bags became my full-time job, I designed and sold light-up novelty products for theme parks. You could say I had a lot of bright ideas. 😊

Then COVID happened.

The theme parks closed, my business came to a screeching halt, and I suddenly realized...

"Oh yeah...I no longer have an income!"

That little passion project suddenly became Plan A.

Looking back now, I truly believe God had a much better plan than I ever could have imagined. He redirected my path, and I couldn't be happier.

Here's a Little Secret...

I design the bags...

I don't sew them.

In fact, I can't even sew on a button!

I leave the sewing to talented professionals while I do what I love most—creating new designs, loading up the van, and traveling to shows, festivals, and events where I get to meet wonderful people like you.

Those weekends are my favorite part of this business.

I laugh with customers.

Sometimes I cry with them.

I hear stories about military families, loved ones, travels, adventures, and special memories.

And every single one reminds me that these bags become part of someone's story.

That's something I'll never take for granted.

Why the Gary Sinise Foundation?

When I started this business, I knew one thing...

I wanted to give back.

There are so many wonderful charities, but after doing a lot of research, I found the Gary Sinise Foundation, and it just felt right.

Now...if you've ever stopped by my booth, you've probably heard me jokingly tell people that Gary Sinise is my boyfriend.

For the record...

That is 100% fictional. 😂

I did fall in love with him as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, and when I learned about everything he's done to support our veterans and first responders, I knew his foundation was exactly where I wanted our business to make a difference.

So hopefully my husband will continue to let me keep my fictional boyfriend...

And every time you purchase one of our bags, a little slice of that sweet, sweet cha-ching helps support the Gary Sinise Foundation and its mission to honor and serve those who have sacrificed for our country.

A Few Fun Facts

When I'm not talking bags, you'll usually find me enjoying three of my favorite things:

🍫 Chocolate

🐶 Dogs (If you bring yours to my booth, I absolutely want to meet them!)

📚 Reading or Spending time with family

So if you ever see me at a show, please stop by and say hello.

I'd love to meet you.

(And yes...chocolate is always welcome!)

From My Heart...

Thank you for supporting my small, woman-owned business.

Running a small business isn't always easy, but because of customers like you, I get to wake up every day doing something I truly love.

You've shared your stories, your smiles, your laughter, and sometimes even your tears.

Those moments mean more to me than you'll ever know.

Thank you for letting me be a small part of your story.

I hope you'll find a bag that becomes part of yours.