Sheffield Bags of Love
Love to shop local in Sheffield? Look out for four brightly designed tote bags which are set to be available from your favourite local shops.
These specially designed bags have been created to help encourage people to shop local and will be available from a selection of independent retailers across the city.
To give the bags a truly local flavour, four Sheffield artists were commissioned to provide the eye-catching designs- Oli Frape, Suzi Kemp, Aleema Ali and Lydia Lapinski, and they were given a brief to create artwork inspired by the city, themed around shopping locally and supporting the wider high-street community.
This limited run of bags will be distributed to high-street businesses across the city, who will then decide individually how to make use of them- be that as a FREE gift for spending a certain amount, as part of a loyalty/reward scheme or simply as a welcome gift to first-time customers.
Following an exceptionally challenging time for the high-street, it is hoped that this awareness initiative (coinciding with the removal of Covid-19 restrictions and the arrival of spring) will help to stimulate trade and pride in local retail.
Keep an eye out for posters displayed in shop windows letting you know which businesses are stocking the totes and don’t forget to share the love on social media when shopping local using the #ShopLocalSheffield hashtag!
We'd love to see your snaps of the bags in use and the lovely local businesses you've been supporting, so feel free to tag us @VisitSheffield & @SheffBusiness on social. 
Artists & their designs...
Oli Frape
I’m passionate about supporting local independent businesses and we’re fortunate enough to have loads of them in Sheffield. It feels like there’s a strong independent spirit in this city and I’m proud to be a part of it.
My lettering for this project is a nod to vintage temporary ‘sale’ signs that sign-writers used to make for local businesses, known as Sho’ Cards. They’d have been hand-painted by a local sign-writer, just on card or something impermanent, and used by local independent shops to promote that day’s special offer. It seemed like the perfect response/reference for the theme of this project.
Suzi Kemp
I love visiting and exploring independent shops and events in Sheffield; it was a joy to interpret and reflect this through illustration.
For this design, I illustrated some of the items available to buy through independent shops in Sheffield, and also wanted to capture the friendliness of the communities behind these shopping experiences! I’ve used wildlife[1]inspired character design to capture the diversity, community and positivity present in Sheffield’s local independents. The use of animals is a nod to the wildlife and nature abundant in our city and its surroundings, too. Hopefully, this design communicates the friendliness and supportiveness of Sheffield communities in a joyful, colourful way!
Aleema Ali
I got involved with this project because it meant me designing for local shops, getting people to shop more locally and supporting all those small incredible businesses. The inspiration behind my design was all the independent local cafes, restaurants and food markets. I did illustrations based on what these local shops provide such as cakes, sandwiches, burritos and much more. My design consists of bright and bold colours reflecting the local businesses.
Lydia Lapinski
The main reason I was happy to get involved with this project is because I’m really passionate about supporting Sheffield’s many independent shops and businesses. I think they all need a bit more love at the moment. For the inspiration behind the design, I was thinking about each square being a snapshot of a little happy memory – anything from finding a piece of treasure after hunting in a shop or getting some food you just really fancy.
Need ideas for indie shopping in Sheffield?
Indie shopping in Kelham Island
As the hospitality scene has gone from strength to strength in Kelham Island, more retail too is now also beginning to pop up across the district.
Indie shopping in Sheffield City Centre
Aside to high-street names, there are plenty of amazing independent shops to browse in Sheffield City Centre.
Indie scene in Ecclesall Road & Sharrow Vale Road
Ecclesall Road offers a three mile stretch of restaurants, coffee houses, pubs, bars and shops. Running parallel is the shorter but equally vibrant, Sharrow Vale Road.
Indie scene in Abbeydale Road & Nether Edge
Also known as the Sheffield Antiques Quarter, the area along and around Abbeydale Road houses a diverse selection of quirky independents, and continues over into Nether Edge.
Indie scene in Hillsborough
Hillsborough is experiencing something of a rebirth, with a fast-growing community of new independent businesses, bringing a fresher feel to the area.
Indie scene in Crookes, Walkley & Broomhill
Sharing the same hill, Crookes and Walkey are close enough to one another that you could easily take a shopping stroll round both in a morning or afternoon, and maybe even add on a visit to Broomhill too. All are home to a selection of unique retail businesses.
This initiative has been partly funded by the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as part of the Reopening High Streets Safely (RHSS) project.
Established by the European Union, ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding