GC Grant Cooper

Project / Built Work

Sewing / Soft Goods

A collection of self-designed utility bags, winter workwear, padded cases, and small sewn goods built from technical fabrics, webbing, foam, and YKK zippers.

The collection is led by a compact utility waist pack that grew from a one-off personal build into a repeatable small-batch product and funded an upgrade to an industrial sewing machine.

01 / Pattern development

A personal need became a repeatable product

I learned to sew when I was young, first from my mom and later through a high-school class. Around 2019 I returned to it because I wanted a compact utility waist pack with a particular size, layout, material set, and appearance.

I studied the construction of similar sewn products, worked out the flat geometry, cut the first version directly from measurements, and converted the successful shape into a durable reusable pattern. That first pack became the basis for roughly 100 finished units in multiple colors and camouflage patterns.

Primary fabric
500D Cordura
Zippers
YKK #5 chain / reverse sliders
Waist strap
1-inch nylon webbing
Hardware
Molded buckle / hook-and-loop
Pattern
Self-developed / reusable
Finished camouflage utility waist pack with zippered compartment and front hook-and-loop field
The finished self-patterned utility waist pack that became the primary product in the collection.

02 / Utility waist pack

Functional layout from one refined pattern

The pack combines a main zippered compartment, a front hook-and-loop field, and a non-zippered rear slip pocket positioned between the bag and the wearer for quick access. An adjustable one-inch webbing strap and molded buckle complete the assembly.

Once the pattern and order of operations were established, one pack took about 45 minutes to make and roughly $12 in materials. I sold approximately 75 directly online, kept around 15 for my own use, and gave others to friends.

03 / Production

The work funded better equipment

I made the first roughly 20 packs on my mom's household Singer. After the early sales generated enough money, I spent about $750 on a Juki DDL-8700-H industrial straight-stitch machine.

The upgrade made repeated production faster and more comfortable.

04 / OTHER WORK

Making what I couldn't buy

Snow pants

I made the pattern for these by copying my brothers Carhart snow pants and a pair of jeans I owned. The finished pants use insulated, water-resistant layers, adjustable shoulder straps, a hook-and-loop chest pocket, and lower-leg zippers that open for boots. They have kept me warm in the winter for many years.

Padded modular case

The general-purpose equipment case uses a foam-supported body, added perimeter foam, a full-perimeter YKK zipper, and webbing handles. Hook-and-loop surfaces inside accept repositionable retention straps, allowing differently shaped equipment to be secured or the case to remain an open padded compartment.