Two moms changing the world, one sandwich at a time

SEATTLE -- Two entrepreneurs from West Seattle are changing the world, one sandwich at a time.

Becky Harper and Karen Wharton found they make a whole lot of peanut butter sandwiches for their husbands and kids each week.

And that meant a whole lot of plastic sandwich baggies.

"It was that guilt that we felt," says Harper.  "It was August of 2008. Karen Wharton, my business partner, we both pack lunches for a husband and two kids.”

She's not an extreme environmentalist, but all those bags, and the aforementioned guilt sparked an idea.  The duo took some material, sewed it together, and created what's called a "ReUsie."

It's a small pouch, with cloth on the outside and vinyl on the inside, just the right size for a sandwich.  And when it's dirty, you turn it inside out, and put it in the dishwasher. 

What began as a favorite at area craft fairs became an online hit, and orders started coming in from all over the area.

“Locally, we’re supported nicely by Bartell’s and Metropolitan Market,” Harper said.

And now, this home business run out of Becky's West Seattle basement has gone global.

“We just shipped an order to Singapore,” Harper says.  “We’ve got retail locations popping-up in Canada, and we’re shipping to England.”

She's just a mom, who one day while making sandwiches, thought she could make a small difference.

“I haven’t had to buy a sandwich baggie in probably a year-and-a-half,” she says.

For more information, check out their web site at reusies.com