M&S Launches Second Bag with Leading Artist and M&S Alumni Yinka Ilori

• The exclusive lifestyle tote bag - made from 99% recycled plastic - launches in M&S stores across the UK from today.
• It’s the second reusable bag Yinka Ilori has created for the retailer – this time in the style of a tote bag - featuring a strap, zip and inside pocket.
• The leading artist worked at M&S’ Moorgate store for eight years at the start of his design career.

Marks & Spencer has teamed up with leading artist Yinka Ilori for a second time to launch a lifestyle tote bag.

Inspired by his memories of working at M&S and dreaming up designs on his route home through a local park, Ilori’s distinctively bold and colourful artwork pays tribute to the “dreamer inside all of us”. The latest design proudly displays Yinka Ilori’s name, as well as his mantra – dream loud so the world can hear – on the strap.

Made from 99% recycled plastic – the rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) bag has utilised plastic waste which has been woven into polyester fabric to create a soft and durable tote bag. 600mm x 380mm in size and tested to hold up to 8kg in weight – it is the largest and most durable reusable bag available at M&S. From a weekend away to a trip to the beach, the bag has been designed with versatility in mind and features a strap, zip and inside pocket.

The launch of the lifestyle tote bag follows the success of the reusable colourful carrier bag which has sold over 700,000 since it launched in January. The latest design will be available in M&S Clothing & Home and Food stores across the country for £8, alongside the carrier bag.

M&S’ Plan A sustainability plan has been pioneering since its inception in 2007 to tackle the issues that matter most to customers, including reducing and recycling plastic.  In 2008, M&S became the first major retailer to introduce carrier bag charging which reduced usage by 90% and earlier this year, the retailer introduced a ‘Bring Your Own Bag’ initiative to Click & Collect orders; removing over 10 million units of plastic annually. The latest initiative supports M&S commitment to reduce unnecessary plastic and find ways to reuse plastic by turning it into new materials and products, like the latest Yinka bag.

Yinka Ilori, Multi-disciplinary artist, commented: "I was overjoyed by the incredible success of my first bag collaboration with Marks & Spencer, and am thrilled to be partnering with this iconic British brand once again on a vibrant new tote bag. Made from recycled plastic, the design and colours have been inspired by my bus route to and from their store in Moorgate where I worked for eight years at the start of my design career. It's a love letter to my surroundings and daily journey which celebrates the spirit of the dreamer within all of us. I hope its uplifting message will serve as a reminder to keep dreaming, and I can't wait to see my new artwork in the hands of the public across the UK."

Anna Brathwaite, Marketing Director M&S Clothing & Home, commented: “We’re so excited to be continuing our collaboration with M&S alumni and enormously talented Yinka. Bright and bold, the lifestyle tote bag is hard to miss - making it even easier for our customers to remember to bring their own bag whether they are shopping in store or picking up a Click & Collect order. Or even doubling up as a colourful weekend, gym or beach bag!

Last month, M&S published it’s 2023 Sustainability Report which details the progress made across the business on sustainability issues including reducing and recycling plastic.

ENDS

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