The plastic bag bans that began proliferating in states and cities a few years ago raised a few questions for fashion industry veteran Pam Seidman.

“I am very attuned to design and quality, having worked in fashion, and I looked around, and I really asked myself, how was I going to jump on board with this? How was I not going to use single-use plastic bags?” she wondered. “Was there anything out there for me and the type of consumer that I felt was underrepresented?”

The answer, at the time, she concluded, was no.

Thus was born her brand BYBBA – which stands for “Bring Your Bag Back Around” but is pronounced BEE-bah. Seidman started with one concept: a functional, foldaway bag with a focus on high-quality design and a sleek aesthetic. It’s made from 100% recycled ocean plastic, with a smooth hand feel, rather than the “crunchy fabric” that’s sometimes associated with budget reusable bags. Since then, BYBBA has released several other styles into the mix.

BYBBA bags have made their way into the Museum of Modern Art and as a reusable alternative to the iconic Bloomingdale’s Big Brown Bag.

“When we got into the Museum of Modern Art, that was really kind of a great recognition because so much went into the design of [the bag],” Seidman says.

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Seidman talks with ASI Media’s Theresa Hegel about starting her brand and how you can double-down on sustainability without compromising on style.