Business Stories

Emmaline Bags Inc. was established in 2012, but its origins began while founder Janelle MacKay was living abroad in Australia. Her inspiration for Emmaline Bags grew out of her personal passion and natural talent for designing and crafting her own custom bags. Janelle quickly discovered one of her biggest challenges would be sourcing materials and hardware for her designs. So, she decided she would begin sourcing and producing interesting, practical materials for her own designs and other bag enthusiasts.

What began as a home-based business has evolved into a booming one-stop shop for sewers and bag enthusiasts. The 8,300 square foot facility boasts a 1,500 square foot retail store, stocking everything sewers need to make bags of their own. Emmaline Bags has flourished into a hub that has attracted attention from bag-making enthusiasts around the world, with its vast carefully curated collection of fabrics, patterns, notions, and hardware, the business caters to a wide range of tastes and preferences. 

Customers seek out Emmaline’s exclusive sewing patterns, designed by Janelle and indie designers. With eleven staff members and her husband, Mike MacKay, and daughter, Steph Barton now joining her at the helm, Janelle plans to continue to expand by offering an ever-evolving range of products and services.

Passionate staff are one of the company’s greatest strengths as it pursues a vision for not only providing high-quality bag-making supplies and equipment, but also comprehensive resources, tutorials, and workshops to help aspiring bag makers learn and grow their skills. The business has developed a welcoming and inclusive space and online inventory where home sewers can find inspiration, guidance, and all the tools necessary to bring their bag-making ideas to life.