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There's always something going on that we can talk about.
Whether you need tips on print techniques and artwork specifications,
inspiration for your next project, or just want to read about the war on
single-use plastic, we've got you covered. But if you're just here to be
nosey about what we're up to, that's ok too. We won't judge.
Come have a browse of our latest Clever News!
Browse our latest Clever News!
There's always something going on that we can talk about.
Whether you need tips on print techniques and artwork specifications,
inspiration for your next project, or just want to read about the war on
single-use plastic, we've got you covered. But if you're just here to be
nosey about what we're up to, that's ok too. We won't judge.
Come have a browse of our latest Clever News!
Clever Blog
Browse our latest Clever News,
There's always something going on!
Get tips on print techniques and
artwork specifications, inspiration
for your next project, or learn about
the war on single-use plastic,
read here!
Browse our latest Clever News,
There's always something going on!
Get tips on print techniques and
artwork specifications, inspiration
for your next project, or learn about
the war on single-use plastic,
read here!
Meet the Clever Team - Quality Systems Manager
Posted on: 30/07/2021, 10:30
Find out all about our Quality Systems Manager, what their life has been like working here and what they get up to in their spare time.
Name – Sarah
Job Role – Quality Systems Manager
Tell us about you – I’m in my early 30s and have been with The Clever Baggers since they took pity on me (or saw my potential!) as a 21-year-old many years ago. I’m Welsh and grew up in mid Wales but live over the border in England now and couldn’t ask for a more beautiful commute every day.
Activities / Hobbies – I adore roller-skating and am the head coach at Evolution Roller Derby, although over lockdown I have taken to long-distance outdoor skating for my exercise. I also enjoy walking/hiking, camping, swimming, yoga and a tiny bit of very amateur surfing. I enjoy going to public scientific lectures and can often be found driving to Jodrell Bank after work to listen to someone speak about neutron stars or parasites, not that I can remember any of it the next day! I’m really into my music and spend a lot of my time listening to 6music and delving into the back catalogues of artists who were making music long before I was born. David Bowie and Radiohead are my two main obsessions. I’m passionate about nature and am a trustee for Montgomeryshire Wildlife trust. I’ve been a vegetarian for most of my life and have recently become vegan which is much easier than people think, although having to cook more myself, I eat a lot more cake now than I used to!
Favourite meal to indulge yourself in? – I have a bit of an addiction to battered sausages and chips. It’s really hard to find vegetarian/vegan ‘chippy’ chips as most fryers are used for cooking the fish in too. I have been known to drive to Llandudno with my friends just to eat at Barnacles who have a whole menu for dirty deep-fried vegan food!
Favourite Film – I don’t have just one, does anyone?! ‘The Truman Show‘ was one of my favourites growing up. I’m also a huge Tom Hanks fan and think ‘Castaway’ is one of his best, along with ‘Big’. More recently I think ‘The Shape of Water’ and ‘Jojo Rabbit’ were fantastic. I think one of the films I have watched the most is ‘Bridesmaids’, which I am blaming mainly on my sister. There is no other film I’ve seen multiple times that I still laugh at so much and long may it continue.
About you in the company – I started as a Graphic Designer and having had various opportunities over the years, have been on a secondment most recently which lasted a tad longer than planned due to COVID! I’ve been project managing the introduction of the new internal system and website which launched last summer. There is a reason I have worked here for so long and it truly is such a great place to work (I don’t get paid extra for this!). We have a great team of people and many of us have been here for a long time. I have always been given opportunities when I’ve needed them and supported when I’ve had difficult times in my personal life.
What do you like best about working for The Clever Baggers? – That’s so hard to answer as I’ve not really known much else. All I know is that I would recommend working here to anyone if I felt they were right for the company as I only have positive things to say about my time here. Working for a company that is always open to trying to improve what it does means a lot to me. We never think that we are perfect and are constantly looking for ways to make the business and the products we sell as sustainable as possible. We know we aren’t perfect and in my experience, that is something that you rarely come across in business, especially when it means listening to suggestions from both customers and employees about any part of what we do.
Favourite product? – If I had to choose one I would choose the ‘Canvas 12oz Shopper with Long Handles & Gusset’. This is the only bag I want to take food shopping and it feels high quality enough to use as a bag for every day too, whether plain or with a great design on it. I haven’t as yet managed to ruin one and they are a really strong bag, with the thicker material making the straps sit flat on your shoulder, even when full of shopping. The texture of the heavier weight canvas is great and although we don’t recommend washing the natural cotton products, I must confess I have washed many of these and the bags themselves hold up so well, give or take a little shrinkage which I don’t mind.
Plain or Printed? – I’m going to say… plain! I might sound a bit strange but the plain products are actually really beautiful and knowing how much work goes into them being cut, shaped and sewn by hand, it certainly makes you appreciate all of the work that goes into something we see thousands of every day. I think of them like blank canvasses and we never know what customers are going to do with them if they are purchased plain.
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