From Cape Town’s surf breaks to the streets of New York, these upcycled bags carry more than gear — they carry a story. Of grit, of purpose, of the ocean always calling you home.
On paper, Sealand makes bags. Beautiful ones… stitched from yacht sails, advertising billboards, and adventure-scarred canvas. But the real magic isn’t just in the gear. It’s in the hands that made it, the coastline that shaped it, and the quiet revolution behind every stitch.
Jasper Eales was raised by the sea. The kind of kid who learned his values from the tide and his joy from riding it. He grew up in Llandudno, Cape Town, in a family where “respect for people and nature” wasn’t a slogan, it was second nature. Surfing, he says, still helps him think more clearly than any boardroom.
In his early twenties, Jasper faced a liver transplant. A curveball that could have crushed him. Instead, it rewired everything. Success stopped meaning status. It started meaning substance.
“Embrace every day like it’s your last. That mindset has shaped how I lead, how I design, and how I live.”
Sealand was born not just as a business, but as a kind of rebellion… against waste, against fast fashion, against design that forgets its roots. What began with Jasper in a Cape Town garage is now an international brand with a heartbeat that still hums in Hout Bay.
Sealand’s bags, pouches, and accessories are made to be used – hard. Built from upcycled yacht sails, old canvas tents, and billboard vinyl, they’re rugged, repairable, and one-of-a-kind. No two bags are ever exactly the same. Some carry salt stains from Atlantic crossings. Others wear ghost prints of past lives.
Each product also carries a tag with the name of the maker – a real human being, working in their Cape Town studio, whose stitch line you’re literally holding.
“Sealand has always been about honest storytelling,” Jasper says. “Sharing the name and story of the champions who make this gear is the best story we can tell.”
There’s beauty in that. Not just in the design – in the dignity.
Sealand’s workshop is a rhythm of hands, machines, offcuts, and laughter. You’ll find team members refining prototypes, chatting over stitching tables, or problem-solving how to turn a tattered tent into a sleek daypack. It’s precise work, but always personal.
And while Jasper now spends more time steering brand strategy, he still gets in the mix, consulting on fabric choices, sketching out retail concepts, and, often, grabbing his board to surf with the team when the swell looks good.
The studio isn’t just where bags get made. It’s where values become visible.
From the start, Sealand was more than gear. It was about impact: both social and environmental.
They’ve partnered with initiatives like the Shark Spotters Foundation, co-designing wildlife stretchers for seal and dolphin rescue. They’ve built job opportunities and careers through on-the-ground upskilling, rather than outsourcing production. They upcycle, re-use, repair – not just because it’s trendy, but because it’s true to their roots.
“We don’t hide where the material came from. We celebrate it.”
And as the brand expands into new markets, from Joburg to Japan, it’s not losing that Cape Town soul. In fact, Jasper says international buyers often feel proud because the bags are South African. That pride travels.
After a three-month sabbatical (part self-reflection, part leadership experiment), Jasper has returned with renewed clarity. He’s now focused on Sealand’s global brand presence, deeper retail experiences, and growing a design legacy – following in his architect father’s footsteps to shape future store rollouts.
But don’t expect a corporate makeover. Sealand’s compass still points firmly toward adventure, community, and the environment. The mission hasn’t changed… it’s just scaling with soul.
Sealand doesn’t shout. It moves with purpose, with surf-washed calm, with stitched-in soul. And when you sling one of their bags over your shoulder, you’re not just carrying stuff. You’re carrying a little piece of Cape Town.
It’s not about the bag.
It’s about the story stitched into it.
Visit Sealand Gear
- Sealand Campus: 144 Main Rd, Hout Bay, Cape Town, 7806
or find a store here. - Website: sealandgear.com
- Instagram: @sealandgear
