With everyone being so eco-friendly these days, it was only a matter of time before the fashion world took notice. Everything from clothing, shoes, jewelry and, of course, handbags have jumped onto the environmental bandwagon. And leave it to me to find the most eco-chic bags out there.
After combing the malls, Internet, flea markets and everywhere in between, I have come up with some of my absolute favorites for bag fashionistas on every budget.
One of the most innovative that I’ve seen comes from the brilliant designer Ashley Watson. Her stylish bags are created from recycled leather jackets! How chic. Ashley scours thrift stores and charity shops for slightly worn jackets and turns them into magnificent handbags made of rich, smooth leather. Created for her Spring 2008 collection, these bags are a mix of artistic creation and style. The pockets and seams of the jackets are kept in tact and in place producing a unique look. All of the bags are in cool earth tones of warm browns, vivid reds and luscious greens (in keeping with the earth friendly theme). And while leather is not the most eco friendly material, her concept of reuse and recycling is ultimately great for the environment. These are unique designs that will leave you the envy of the eco set. The bags range in price from $300 to $395 and can be purchased at boutiques across the country and online. Check out http://www.ashleywatson.net/ for more info and to see the full collection.
For a really unique and one-of-a-kind eco-friendly handbag, go to out eco-handbags.ca. They specialize in creating the most customized handbags made from a variety of recycled products. Want a clutch made out of magazines, and tote made out of candy wrappers, a messenger bag of chopsticks? You name it; you’ll find it there. First choose your material and then the style of bag. They even carry eco-friendly dog carriers and grocery store shopping bags. Now you have no excuse to not go green! Depending upon the type of material, and the size or style of the bag, prices range from as low as $60 to $250+.
Lastly, for the label-loving fashionista, hot designers like Stella McCartney design all-organic and environmentally-conscious bags. One of the hot new bags of the summer is a beautiful floral bag made with faux leather (of course!) And Marc Jacobs carries a special edition denim tote for a mere $35, (yes, $35!), that can be used instead of your usual leather handbag. Only available at Marc Jacobs stores, these bags are of course going super fast!
Whether it’s reused, recycled or repurposed, you too can become part of the solution to prevent waste. And hey, why not do it with a stylish bag on your arm? Now even the chicest fashionista can be eco-friendly - there’s no excuse for you to not “go green”!
~ Allycia White
2 comments:
Another eco-firnedly solution:
Use a tote, like the Marc Jacobs you mention, to carry groceries instead of the plastic bags.
My problems is finding one of these tote's that's big enough for my groceries though. they are all more like library bags
I'm afraid to carry a leather bag because I live in a very rainy area. Any ideas for those of us who want chic leather-looking bags, but don't want to dish out for the leather for fear of water spots?
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