It didn’t take Chuck Friedman long to discover the possibilities of using sailcloth for items other than boats. After working with the fabric for years as a sail maker and sailing enthusiast, he started taking pieces of scrap fabric home to create wallets or bags as presents for friends. Fast forward six years and Chuck has sewn thousands of wallets, which has resulted in his own company, FlowFold, based on Peaks Island.
Growing up on Peaks, Friedman learned a lot of practical skills at an early age, including how to sew. A skill taught by his grandmother, he later learned it could help land him a job. In high school he began sewing sails for Maine Sailing Partners.
“I worked there for three summers and I sewed everything from custom sails for a racing boat to a set of sails for a college team,” says Friedman. “It was a great experience.”
After graduating from University of Maine at Orono in May where he studied civil engineering, Friedman began to think about how he could put sustainable development practices into effect at home. “Having worked on sails, I knew for a fact that there’s always leftover fabric. If a bolt comes in the wrong color or if it’s too short, there’s always times where perfectly good sailcloth can’t be used,” he says. “I knew I could be a great source so this stuff didn’t have to go in the trash.”
He began to construct hundreds of prototypes based on his original wallets that eventually resulted in FlowFold, a line of wallets built from high tech racing sailcloth.
Friedman is quick to explain the amazing properties of sailcloth—and why they make the best wallets. “They’re the most resilient cloth in the world. They’re really strong, lightweight and weather-resistant.” A FlowFold wallet is less than the thickness of two credit cards.
FlowFold wallets are sewn in Maine, only now it isn’t just Friedman producing each one. “We were able to source experienced seamstresses in Lewiston who can make these wallets faster that I ever did,” says Friedman.
“We aren’t just getting tons of free sailcloth without any cost,” explains Friedman. FlowFold pays a company to keep old stock in their factories and to have it shipped. “We pay to have them hold it for us rather than toss it in the dumpster.”
In order to expand the business, Friedman applied to the Island Institute’s Island and Coastal Innovation Fund to secure a loan that would help increase his company’s capacity.
“I knew we had a good product, but needed to seek out ways we could expand.”
The Island and Coastal Innovation Fund, a $2 million economic development tool, gives island and coastal entrepreneurs the opportunity to start or continue to develop their businesses.
“I have a long history with the Island Institute,” says Friedman who grew up involved in the Islands Scholar’s Network. “The mission of FlowFold really matches what they stand for to help sustain island communities.”
Currently, FlowFold is a small enterprise with only two full-time employees. But growth is on the horizon. “We went to our first surf trade show in Orlando and brought seven people with us,” says Friedman. “And the response towards our product was great.” They continue to source sailcloth pieces from sailcloth manufacturers, sail lofts and racing teams in the New England area.
Friedman is thrilled that the Island and Coastal Innovation Fund will help expand small businesses through island communities. He hopes to grow the product line to include more bag designs and iPad covers. He’s even considered looking into using other waste products that can be reused, like cardboard. “We’ve looked into other fabrics that are as durable and sustainable,” he says, “but it’s really hard to beat sailcloth.”
Laura Serino is a freelance writer living in Portland.