Paper or Plastic?

Sunshine & warm weather - that can only mean one thing. It's time to get a new summer purse!

Alright, I can’t be the only woman who wants to switch their handbag once the nice weather hits; to change from something that is heavy and functional to something light, fun and fashionable (naturally).

I mean a black leather bag just doesn’t cut it at the pool! Plus, you need a little extra room to carry that sunscreen and great book to read out in the sunshine on your lunch break.

Still, a lot of attention has been given lately to being more earth-friendly. If you show up to that party with yet another new purse, are all of your eco-conscious friends going to give you grief?

Ah, but is it possible to be both earth friendly AND fashionable when it comes to your purse? Is the value of this worth the find? Aren’t all earth friendly items dowdy and plain?

Well, maybe they used to be, but now there is a new type of eco friendly in town-and it is fun, colorful & stylish. What more could you ask for?

Let's check out some of the latest earth friendly designs. Anniegrant.com has the cutest little purses made of reclaimed (a fancy word for recycled) plastic. These purses use no ink, which is hard to believe when you see their awesome colors; relying only on the color of the plastic bags used to make the purse. Not only that, but the purses also create jobs in India. Awesome? Yes!?

Okay, but what to do if you really aren’t into a reclaimed plastic purse? How about a natural fiber like jute? Jute is not only natural, but is also a 100% renewable resource. So what makes jute better then cotton? Well, it seems that pesticides are used on cotton crops (bad) and a lot of chemicals are needed to process cotton (double ick).

What makes jute so excellent for a summer hand bag is that it is lightweight and waterproof, so you can take it to the beach and all your summer festivals and not worry when you get caught in a summer shower, a definite plus.

Check them out at the eco shoppe at pristine planet.com. Just look at it, all white and summery and surprisingly roomy-what more could ask for? Oh yeah, and it is affordable.

Stylish and affordable!? That means you can buy more then one style-Whoo! Hoo!

See, maybe this earth friendly thing isn’t so bad.

~ Jennifer Flaten