After reaching the summit of a hike with her worn-out backpack, Meaghan McDonald longed for a pack that would suit her adventures.

It was there where everything clicked and the marine naturalist got the idea to create a backpack that combined her passions for the ocean and upcycling, along with some inspiration from her floating living arrangements.

McDonald is the founder and CEO of Salt Legacy, a Victoria company preparing the fall launch of its adventure backpack and other products made from old sailcloth.

Her idea to use sails that had flown their last voyage as their material of choice came in part after navigating VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 murky housing market. Met with the opportunity to buy a live-aboard sailboat, McDonald signed the papers in less than a day, despite never sailing a day in her life.

B次元官网网址淚f I hadnB次元官网网址檛 bought that sailboat I wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have started Salt Legacy,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 learned to live more simply and not consume as much, it taught me a lot about sustainability.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 been a couple of years since McDonald boosted her business acumen through Project Zero, VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 circular economy incubator. While the company has been growing ever since, getting a business off the ground is no breeze. They just secured a bigger space to work in, but McDonald and business strategist Tisha BeckerB次元官网网址檚 apartment has been filled with the sails and industrial sewing machines for months.

B次元官网网址淭hey are definitely not small,B次元官网网址� the CEO said, adding itB次元官网网址檚 a comedic scene watching them haul the heavy canvasses to their top-floor unit. B次元官网网址淭hese sails literally take over our entire living room and weB次元官网网址檙e cutting the patterns on our kitchen table.B次元官网网址�

Sourcing the sails, however, proved much easier than expected once word got out. A tenet of Salt Legacy, and McDonaldB次元官网网址檚 favourite part of the process, is sitting down with boat owners to hear the history of the donated sails and the tales from their many journeys.

B次元官网网址淵ou can see that memories are flashing around inside their head and thatB次元官网网址檚 what I want to capture,B次元官网网址� McDonald said. Each of Salt LegacyB次元官网网址檚 collections includes the story of the sail that went into their backpack, surfboard carrier, hip pack or other bag. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e passing these sails on to me and were making them into a beautiful product, and again their legacy will carry on.B次元官网网址�

The mission is to use the power of up-cycling to reconnect people with the environment and what happens to waste, while giving the sails a renewed purpose.

B次元官网网址淭hese products still have such a long lifespan, even though theyB次元官网网址檙e not fit for sea anymore theyB次元官网网址檙e still extremely durable.B次元官网网址�

The company wants connection B次元官网网址� whether it be to the oceans, history or waste B次元官网网址� at the heart of what they do. McDonald participated in a two-month coastal cleanup along the Great Bear Rainforest where they removed 210 tons of marine debris, like fishing nets and 90,000 plastic water bottles. Salt Legacy is keeping track of the recovered sails so the public can see exactly how much is being diverted.

ItB次元官网网址檚 part of another pillar of the company that will use a multimedia speaker series and learning resources to tell stories of interacting with nature, and to raise awareness of consumerism and environmental issues.

From creating a history-filled, hike-worthy pack to pushing for sustainability on the seas, McDonald said itB次元官网网址檚 been a dream job to combine all her passions.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 definitely been a very interesting road so far but thatB次元官网网址檚 what being an entrepreneur is.B次元官网网址�

For more on Salt Legacy, go to .

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