From banners to tote bags: How Metro is giving materials a second life

What happens to a Metro banner after it comes down? It doesn’t go to waste. It gets a second life.

Through its Banners to Bags program, launched in 2017, Metro has been transforming used vinyl banners into durable, one-of-a-kind tote bags for the community – a year-round effort that reflects the spirit of Earth Day.

“The idea came from one of our Metro training program staff members,” said Alvin Kusumoto, Deputy Executive Officer in Environmental Services. “He saw a better alternative than sending banners to the landfill.”

He added that those banners, once used across the system to share information with riders, are now collected and repurposed into tote bags in different sizes for everyday use.

“What’s also unique about the program is that each bag is different,” says Alvin. “This happens because the banners have different designs and colors.”

The program is built on a concept called upcycling. While recycling is more industrial, it breaks down materials such as plastic, glass and paper through melting or shredding to create new products, such as turning newspaper into egg cartons.

Upcycling is more creative. It gives items a new use without that complicated process. At Metro, banners are cleaned, cut and stitched into tote bags, similar to turning empty coffee cans into planters.

To bring the bags to life, Metro partnered with CR&A Custom, Inc., a large-format printing company based in the heart of Los Angeles. Led by Carmen Rad, the company works with Metro to turn banners into bags through a process that blends craftsmanship and sustainability.

“At first, we explored different designs and worked through the challenges of using vinyl,” says Carmen. Her team then began developing samples. “Vinyl is a very durable material, so it’s perfect for tote bags,” she adds. “It can also carry a lot of weight.”

Each piece is finished with a Metro label and a small “Made in Los Angeles” tag — a nod to local work and the people behind it.

Depending on size, a single banner can produce several bags. For example, a standard 5-by-8-foot banner can yield about six tote bags, depending on the design and cut.

Carmen’s company’s commitment to sustainability has also been recognized. In 2019, the same year they began working with Metro, it was named Green Firm of the Year by the City of L.A. after retrofitting its facility to exceed environmental standards.

For Metro, the program didn’t stop with banners.

In 2025, the agency expanded the effort by collecting unused Ambassador uniforms and transforming them into tote bags. Jackets, shirts and pants were redesigned into a reusable bag with a different look and feel from the vinyl versions.

This month, Metro expanded the program with a new addition: tote bags made from bus operators’ shirts. About six months ago, the Sustainability Department began visiting Metro divisions, inviting employees to turn in uniforms they no longer use, items that might have otherwise been discarded. Now, those materials are being given a new purpose, adding a new product to the lineup. “These designs were approved this month, and we’re starting production now,” says Alvin.

Because uniforms offer less material than banners, each piece is used carefully. In many cases, a single shirt can produce one bag.

Since 2017, Metro has produced around 16,000 bags, with more on the way as the program continues to grow. To put its impact into perspective, since 2020, the program has helped divert approximately 1.67 tons (or about 3,300 pounds) of material from landfills.

These bags are given directly to the community at Metro events, from job fairs to station activations. And riders notice.

“Some people have mentioned how nice the bags are and how sturdy they are,” Alvin says. “Others have even said that they were stopped and asked where they got them.”

Beyond the design, the impact is simple but meaningful. Every banner or uniform that becomes a bag is one less item headed to a landfill — massive sites that can span hundreds of acres, where layers of waste can sit for decades and release methane that contribute to climate change.

“We generate a lot of waste as a society,” says Alvin. “Think about how often we order things online and have them delivered to our homes. Programs like this help slow how quickly landfills fill up by giving materials a second use.”

The effort also supports Metro’s broader sustainability goals, including a target to divert at least 50% of its waste from landfills.

As part of Earth Day this Wednesday, April 22, there will be an event at Little Tokyo/Arts District Station from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Union Station (north patio) from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring eco-friendly vendors and information on how to reduce waste. Some of these unique tote bags will be available for free, only those made from Ambassador’s uniforms. If you are in the area, stop and take one home!

Because next time you spot one of these bags, you won’t just see a tote — it’s waste that didn’t end up buried in a landfill.