About Cheryl

Hi! I’m Cheryl Rutherford, the designer behind EncoreWrap™. Nice to meet you!

Being creative is at the core of who I am.

I enjoy using a variety of tools to bring my ideas to life, whether it’s a camera, a pencil, a software program or a sewing machine. My formal studies include earning a B.Sc. from the University of Alberta, with a major in Clothing and Textiles, and I’ve been building mascot costumes for years (yes, like the A&W Rootbear and the Raptor’s mascot). I even helped build a mascot for a Disney movie and the mascot costumes for the Banana Splits movie.

I also really like birds. (Like, really!) That might seem completely unrelated to fabric gift bags, but trust me: it’s related! Caring for wildlife conservation and the environment are very important to me. This means learning about living “zero waste”, reusing and recycling things and eliminating unnecessary shopping; all in addition to getting out into nature and taking photographs of the birds I love.

I have come to accept that I can’t do it all, but I can do a little bit. Side note (still related, I promise!): I once worked at a casino and learned that even the smallest gratuity added up after a long shift. That lesson is what I’m endeavoring to do with EncoreWrap™: taking small steps that will lead to large results!

Little things I have done to lessen my footprint on the planet:

• I carry reusable cutlery with me: no plastic forks for me! (this goes for chopsticks, too)
• I take reusable containers to restaurants for any leftovers
• I try not to buy things I don’t need and am a big supporter of “hand-me-ups” from my sister’s closet
• I wear things ’til they are done and then I repair them (if I still like them) or recycle them if I don’t
• I spearheaded the textile scrap collection at work that results in over 100lbs of recycled textiles annually
• Ditto for starting the composting plan at work
• During the pandemic, I collected and binned over 1000 masks! Check out @my.garbage.project on Instagram
• I’ve been veggie since 2008. Good for the animals and for the planet we all call home

My other website, (which shows off my love for our feathered friends) features my photography, sassy cards and embroidery projects. You can also learn more about my conservation activities and my travel writing. You can find it here.

So thank you for checking out my reusable fabric bags and taking a little step that will do a lot for the planet. The birds (and I) think you’re awesome!