Studio Fiep

From festival banners to colourful bags and accessories

Studio Fiep turns discarded festival banners into funky, durable bags and accessories. These big, bold and colourful sheets would have been destined for the landfill after the party is over. Instead, they become products that are handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, and filled with the joy and energy that Fiep herself radiates wherever she goes.
Old festival banners transformed into bags by Studio Fiep | Waste Alchemists Old festival banners transformed into bags by Studio Fiep | Waste Alchemists
Portrait of Fiep, founder of Studio Fiep, in her upcycling studio | Waste Alchemists

About the alchemists

Meet Fiep, the heart and hands behind Studio Fiep, someone whose positivity genuinely fills a room. When asked why she dedicates herself to waste alchemy, she said: “It feels like magic every time, seeing festival banners on the street or at events and transforming them into colourful, waterproof products that can be loved again.” Her mission goes beyond crafting: she dreams of building an upcycle collective, supporting fellow makers, and inspiring visitors to see waste as possibility. She’s a creator driven by purpose, and honestly, spending five minutes with her makes you want to start upcycling something too.
bags and wallets created
0
without using new banner material
metres of banner material
0
saved from being wasted
people discovered the value of waste
0
through Studio Fiep workshops
Stack of large discarded festival banners collected by Studio Fiep | Waste Alchemists

About the waste

Ever wondered what happens to enormous festival banners after the lights go out? Most of them go straight to landfill or incineration. They’re heavy, waterproof, graphic, and tricky to recycle, but not for Fiep. She rescues these discarded banners, full of bold prints and stories, and turns them into long-lasting pieces for everyday use..

About the process

It all starts with a bike ride. Sometimes with up to ten massive banners balancing somehow between her and gravity. Once home, they’re scrubbed clean, inspected, and laid out so she can spot the most exciting parts of each print. She designs every item individually, cuts everything by hand, and sews it on her beloved industrial sewing machine (the one she bought thanks to a GoFundMe that went viral). It’s physical, creative, improvised, and full of heart, and that’s exactly why the results feel so alive.
Studio Fiep cleaning and cutting festival banners for bag production | Waste Alchemists
Colourful bags and accessories made from festival banners by Studio Fiep | Waste Alchemists

About her creations

Studio Fiep transforms banners into bags, laptop cases, wallets, and whatever new shape emerges from the material’s patterns. Each product carries a fragment of a festival, a campaign, or a moment that once hung above thousands of people. Her favourite part? “Connecting these creations with their new owners, seeing their personalities instantly click with a pattern.” Her work is as much about connection as it is about craft.

The community as the secret ingredient

Fiep’s breakthrough moment came when she set up a GoFundMe to buy her first industrial sewing machine. The video went viral within a week. More than €2,000 came in from people all over the world, strangers who simply believed in her. It’s a reminder that turning waste into value is powerful… but building a community around it is magic.
Studio Fiep using a community funded industrial sewing machine | Waste Alchemist

Products they alchemised

Studio_fiep_ties1

Crossbody Bags

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 85,00

Studio_fiep_betty1

Wallets

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 40,00

Studio_fiep_peter3

Crossbody Bags

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 70,00

laptop_sleeve_banner_studiofiep

Laptop Sleeves

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 55,00

bikebagstudiofiep

Bike Frame Bags

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 140,00

crossbodybagstudiofiep

Crossbody Bags

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 80,00

WalletStudioFiep

Wallets

from Festival Banners

Studio Fiep

 40,00

Their upcoming events

Special edition: Make your own bag from festival banners

Make your own bag from festival banners during the launch event of Waste Alchemists guided by the one and only Fiep from Studio Fiep. Sign up for Saturday the 21st of March (14:00-17:00) at Vogelfrei in Utrecht.

Make your own bag from festival banners

Once this material was hanging at a festival. Now it is about to become your bag. In this workshop, you work with real banners, make your own design choices, and discover how waste can turn into something awesome and full of memories.

Make your own bag from festival banners

Once this material was hanging at a festival. Now it is about to become your bag. In this workshop, you work with real banners, make your own design choices, and discover how waste can turn into something awesome and full of memories.

Make your own bag from festival banners

Once this material was hanging at a festival. Now it is about to become your bag. In this workshop, you work with real banners, make your own design choices, and discover how waste can turn into something awesome and full of memories.

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