Meet Salty Bag: Fresh, Greek Ideas and The Way Out of the Crisis

Today in Athens I had the pleasure of meeting Stratis Andreadis, a young Greek entrepreneur whose family has been prominent on the Greek business and political scene for over 200 years. One thing is for sure, a simple google search will prove that Stratis probably doesn’t need to work and he could very well be resting on his family’s laurels.

But on the contrary, this fine young man is doing something amazing.

Together with some friends— all avid sailors and sailing enthusiasts, they launched a company called Salty Bag, that takes used sails from sail boats and turns them into various styles of bags. Messenger bags, totes, duffles— you name it.

I was so impressed with his “screw you crisis” attitude and resolve to prove that Greece— and Greeks— can and will get out of the crisis that faces their nation, if they just focus their energy on what they have in front of them and what they know best.

Think about Salty Bag’s story… used sails that would probably end up in a landfill that have sailed all corners of the Aegean and Ionian Seas— each with its own story, each with a different wave crashing upon it, giving it its own character and its own past. Not only is Salty Bag a sustainable and “green” project, it takes something that is at the very core, Greek, and shares it with the world.

In addition to the great idea, Stratis told me about the company’s great idea to support— through sales of a line of bags— the Greek Sailing Team’s efforts to get to the Rio 2016 Olympics. This is corporate social responsibility at its best. I immediately offered my own support of such a campaign and explained that we ALL have a responsibility to help these world-class athletes get to Rio and have their chance to compete.

Tomorrow, my last day in Athens, I’m heading to the store that sells Salty Bags and I’m buying one for self and one as a gift for a special friend— something perfect to remind him of his homeland and something I know he will cherish because of the “green” and “sustainable” nature of the project.

These are the companies that deserve our support. Get your Salty Bag today and support Greek entrepreneurs who are determined to get their country out of the crisis with fresh, innovative ideas.