SOOZOU, a new line of chic, eco-friendly bags made from repurposed sailcloth, rope and other maritime components, has an international pedigree, with roots in Hawai'i, Germany, Micronesia and Vietnam.

Pia Kuhlemann, a native of Hamburg, Germany, is the Honolulu-based creator. SOOZOU is a made-up name, but the product is decidedly real.

SOOZOU bags are sewn by members of Micronesians United — a Kalihi-based group that is part of a development project in collaboration with Kokua Kalihi Valley Community Health Center. Prices range from $98 to $195.

Kuhlemann and the Micronesian women were brought together by Quynh Nguyen of the KKV Community Health Center, who came to Hawai'i from Vietnam. Nguyen has a special interest in providing opportunities for women; she returned just last week from Namibia, where she has been assisting with a women's development program.

The canvas creations begin as sails that traveled around Island waters. Kuhlemann cuts them up and repurposes them as shoulder bags, tote bags and, coming soon, wallets, clutches, cosmetic bags and laptop bags.

The project began when Kuhlemann wanted to make a surfboard bag as a birthday gift for her then-boyfriend (and now fiance), Ethan Boone, and sourced some sailcloth to put it together. She remembered that in her hometown of Hamburg, one of Germany's largest ports, people made bags out of old sails.

The surfboard bag never happened. She didn't own a sewing machine and sewing canvas by hand was out of the question. However, finding herself with "a truckload of sails," Kuhlemann decided to try her hand at making handbags from the recycled materials.

Her grandmother, an accomplished seamstress, taught her how to sew. Her sister, Suzanna Kuhlemann, a fashion designer who is creating a line of Island-inspired bikinis in Berlin, came to Honolulu in February 2008 and taught Pia how to make patterns.

Knowing that she could not possibly cut and sew all the bags herself, Kuhlemann sought a not-for-profit organization that might be able to help.

That's where her friend Nguyen came in.

Nguyen knew there was a sewing room in the KKV Community Health Center where Micronesian women made aloha attire. Their machines, however, were not up to the task of sewing heavy-duty canvas. With a $5,000 grant from the Women's Fund of Hawai'i, SOOZOU became a reality.

Working with Rotalina David of Micronesians United, Kuhlemann began training three women — Merko Route, Rieko Samuel and Aritae Epeluk — on industrial sewing machines. They took to the task and began production.

"It was such a natural fit," said Carolyn Lee, KKV community development coordinator. "They are smart women, and capable, but it's difficult for them because they can't speak English."

The women can indeed sew, however, and they are terrific at following a pattern. They take obvious pride in the work they are doing and they appreciate the speed and efficiency of the industrial sewing machines.

Kuhlemann's background is in advertising. Her previous job (SOOZOU is now her day job) was as an art director with an advertising agency. When in art school in Germany, she learned to silk screen.

She uses these advertising and art skills on each bag. Inside, she screens a map of the Hawaiian Islands, which indicates the bag's heritage and reminds the carrier that it was made and sailed in Hawai'i. On the outside, she screens a little anchor and the company's logo to enhance the nautical look.

Smooth sailing? Well, not always. As with any new business, Kuhlemann is navigating rough seas as she launches SOOZOU. "It's often very overwhelming for me," she said; however, she is prepared to "improvise and just go with the flow for now."

As Kuhlemann spoke, her Micronesian colleagues looked back at her, with shy smiles opening to broad grins that lit up the spare little Kalihi workroom.