HUDSON — On the shelves of Sarah Bertochi Handmade in Hudson and in the Mill Building on 98 Sterling St. in Clinton, the work of lifelong Hudson resident Mary DiMouro is displayed.
She is the owner and founder of On the Road Again, a brand of upcycled bags and home goods. And, although she works in sales for an informational technology company, she branched out in 2018 by embracing something her mother loved to do: sewing.
She credits the name to one of her sisters, who suggested it as DiMouro was going to meet the materials supplier for the first time. She added it is a great name because “we are putting materials back on the road again.”
“My work room is in the same room my mom’s work room was over 35 years ago,” DiMouro said.
She learned the skill of sewing from her mother, who came from South Korea and was a seamstress that worked from home. DiMouro, who still has the sign her mother put in the yard to advertise her business, called her mother her inspiration for starting the business and reason for having “an eye for creative designs.”
DiMouro and her sisters helped take broken zippers from pants and hems out so her mother could shorten them, as well as make their own projects with fabric remnants. She attributed her strong work ethic now to seeing her mother work long hours.
“She was a hard worker and very good at what she did,” DiMouro said. “She was hopeful that one of us would continue sewing, and it was years later that I decided to start being creative and start sewing in 2018.”
DiMouro said her mother was her hero.
She added, “I still think back on all of her accomplishments and am amazed at how she was able to do everything she did while being self-employed.”
She has “continued to learn the craft,” and her goal is to continue to grow On the Road Again so she can do it full time.
When DiMouro came up with the idea to make an upcycled tote bag, she found a truck tarp maker located in Clinton and reached out about creating a bag for her.
“I knew he was using his remnant materials to create bags, and not using the mesh, which would be the premise for my bags. The mesh was durable, breathable and the sand could easily fall out,” she said.
Once she obtained the materials, she went home and put a prototype bag together.
Being eco-friendly is important to DiMouro as she said in Massachusetts alone, there are 250,000 tons of textile waste, 90% of which can be repurposed.
She explained that “using materials or textiles that have already been created helps minimize waste going to our landfills” and “using what’s already been created helps keep it from going to our landfills, and I’m seeing more of this every year, which is great.”
“I source my materials from a maker located in New Hampshire, and he previously owned a textile company in Georgia that creates the mesh. All of the deadstock and remnants would be sent to his warehouse in New Hampshire,” DiMouro said.
And, she gives back by working with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit environmental charity.
For every purchase of an item from her Raymond and Coastal Collection, the charity plants a tree. Additionally, with the Liberty Collection, part of the profits go to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.
DiMouro noted that “OTRA has grown slowly and steadily over the past five years with continuing to focus on upcycling durable materials into fashion-forward goods.”
She has collaborated with influencers on Instagram like @mermaidsandmadeleines.
She added, “I have worked with so many great influencers and a wonderful YouTuber, which has provided great exposure for my brand.”
The most rewarding part of owning her own business is hearing feedback from customers.
She said, “It makes me so happy to receive an email or review on the bags.”
DiMouro added, “I’m looking to continue to grow my brand selling direct to consumers, and hopefully one day be sold at Macy’s.”
DiMouro’s bags can be purchased directly from www.ontheroadagainbags.com. They are also sold in the Sarah Bertochi Handmade Store at 63A Main St. in Hudson, Avenue C Design in Framingham and at the Mill Building on 98 Sterling St. in Clinton.
For more information, check out DiMouro’s On the Road Again Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ontheroadagainbags.
