Spencer recently stopped by Tucson’s Rippie Products grand opening party. Michael and Eilanna have been making bags in Tucson for about six years now. Their new space combines their metal fabrication business, sewing, and everything in between under one roof. Let’s check it out…

Back in 2017, Michael went into a local bike shop and found the bags to be out of his budget at the time. So he did what any DIYer would do: went home and asked his partner to show him how to use her sewing machine. He quickly became a voracious seamster and outpaced Elianna’s home sewing machine. To no one’s surprise, he bought a broken industrial sewing machine and got to work fixing it so he would be unconstrained in the layers of fabric he could stitch together.

Even to this day, there is a mostly disassembled industrial machine that was rescued from someone’s backyard in Tucson. Though it seemed like it would never run again, Michael has worked his magic and brought the amazing mechanical machine back to life.

Michael and Elianna are both multifaceted hustlers. They work together in designing and fabricating gates, awnings, or whatever other custom requests come through the RP headquarters. You can see parts of that in the background of their new shop space. 1 part custom metal work, 1 part custom sew shop, 1 part whatever the hell needs to be made or done, I’m sure they will find a way.

Rippie Products (redneck+hippie=rippie) formally became a business in 2019 when they were able to finally get some patterns down and sell a few framebags locally. Now they offer custom-branded bags to businesses around town, such as Transit Cycles, Hello Bicycle, Pueblo Vida Brewing, and Pesta Coffee (John’s favorite roaster BTW). Their stock these days includes stem bags, gas tank bags, handlebar bags, frame packs, wearables, BMX bar bags, basically a whole lotta stuff. All available in a plethora of colors to technicolor your bike.

Rippie Products is currently trying to machine-up to offer expedited custom-branded bags for companies. After the success of working with other local shops and businesses, they hope to be able to offer extremely quick turnaround times for custom branding on stock bags that are already completed.

At the open house, you can see Rio (kid-o), and their art heavily supported in the RP branding. As this is truly a family business operation, even the kids are helping out creatively.

Elliot Semonsky, who has been featured on the site before, was launching his framebuilding and repair business, Flaming Tip, at the grand opening. Elliot is young, but already has many frames under his belt, and I’m really excited to see where he takes his skills and abilities. Holler at him if you need some frame repairs for that old steel steed of yours.

Everything at Rippie drips with the dedication and soul of the whole family that pours their love into the bags and products they create. If your brand or shop is looking for some new branded bags, or maybe you need a new metal carport for your house, or you might want some sweet Rio art. If any one of those things appeals to you, holler at Rippie Products. Don’t forget Stay Rippie!