The Cost Of Inflation

Pop down to the Dorset coast, and you'll find dozens of shops like this Weymouth store - selling "beach toys and inflatables". All year round- not just in the summer season. Lilos and dinghies [with warnings about not using in the sea!] swim-rings, and various creatures and accessories.
Nemo clown fish, dolphins, unicorns - and random items like bananas, guitars, pirate swords and more. Plus colourful beach balls.

And children pester their parents and grannies, and for the duration of the holiday, these things are treasured.Then they split and the air escapes and the fun has gone. "It was only a few quid, chuck it in the bin" says Uncle Bill "We'll get you another one next holiday"
At the other end of the scale there are more 'professional' inflatables- bouncy castles, and 'proper' seaworthy dinghies. But even these have a limited life span.
So full marks to "Wyatt & Jack" a company based on the Isle of Wight, who decided to make use of these discarded items. They take damaged dinghies, battered bouncy castles and flattened flamingos [which Rosie insists on calling ptamingos, like pterodactyls!]- and turn them into useful bags and pouches.

A tote made from red bouncy castle fabric- embellished with part of an inflatable cactus.
And yellow dinghy fabric, decorated with sections from a dismantled 'globe' beach ball.
What a brilliant idea! They have enlisted the help of beach wardens at Swanage, who collect the discarded items and pass them on to W&J. 
These will be made into bags and totes for sale in Dorset NT Shops. I am very impressed with the range of goods on sale - varying in price from relatively inexpensive thinner plastic totes and pouches right up to more costly heavy duty rucksacks.
They also make to order - one lady contacted them to ask if they would make a bag from her flamingo. Purchased on holiday the day her boyfriend proposed, she wanted a useful way of keeping it And every purchase comes with a tag, inviting customers to return the bag when it is of no further use, to that it can be remade again! Look at these items from their website
We had a banana, for Holiday Club, I wonder where that went? And 4 inflatable guitars. I do know that on our motorbike holiday to Belgium, we left a very dead airbed in a rubbish skip on the campsite. But there must be something in the loft... What could I make?
Important tips for sewing plastic fabrics like this

1. Do not use pins - join pieces with pegs, wonderclips or magic tape. Pins make nasty holes
2. Use a new, sharp machine needle. If fabric is thick, use a denim or leather needle.
3. Use a longer stitch length than normal
4. Measure twice,stitch once
5. NEVER iron your finished item