Green Options

A woman’s handbag is an extension of herself. It shows off her style, her personality and her ability to coordinate the perfect bag with her outfit. Many of us can’t really afford to have a bag for every outfit or mood but with a little craftiness and the help of this new book…maybe we can.

Refashioned Bags: Upcycle Anything into High-Style Handbags is a new book that shows us how to turn almost anything into a fun, funky and fabulous handbags.

Planet Butterfly has a great reusable shopping bags called Polar Bear Bags because of the beautiful polar bear artwork on the bag. These bags remind us to do our part to help save the planet and stop global warming-therefore protecting the polar bears.

These reasonably priced bags may make the perfect stocking stuffer for someone who needs a little nudge to help them go green.

Or the bag itself may make the perfect gift bag. Fill it full of gifted goodies, make the bag part of the gift and you have the gift that keeps going since it can be reused over and over again.

I adore these DAKINE Spring 2009 Project Blue Surf Packs. Each pack is made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles with partial proceeds benefiting The Surfrider Foundation.

“Our new project BLUE surf packs not only help raise awareness and support for The Surfrider Foundation, but the packs also incorporate recycled materials that would otherwise end up as waste in our landfills…Protecting the environment is a priority for DAKINE; each season we look forward to expanding our use of recycled materials throughout the line” said Dave Bisset, Dakine Director of Product.

Most of the major surf brands are joining project BLUE . Check out the Surfrider blog too.

Okay, first of all I have to point out that while my colleague, Rodney Pate is a phenomenal photographer and artist, this may be his one and only flawed photo . . . I’m not svelt, but I swear I’m not that fat!

But of course, it is really all about the bag . . . that part of the photo actually works extremely well.

I’m loving this bag that came from EcoBags.com (psssst, they’re having a sale!). It has become my de facto brief case that I stuff with all the various things I think I can’t live without during my long days at work.

This bag has a slightly sexy green message, which always makes life a little more interesting. But, what’s really interesting about this bag is that it is made from recycled cotton and it is not unreasonably priced @ $14.99.

Find this bag and others like it . . .

Eco-bags are IN, and not just for cool re-usable grocery shopping bags either. In my travels (literally), I’ve come across some very cool eco-style bags – and they aren’t all just re-used burlap sacs either!

Here’s a few of my favorites

GG2G – ReVynalized Bags & Accessories
Bringing their philosophy of recycle and re-use into their design world, friends Day and Alison have created a fun and beautiful line of bags and accessories made from recycled billboards lined with organic cotton. I have a couple of their bags and they always attract a lot of attention.

Ella Vickers – Recycled Sail Cloth Bags
Go nautical with these eco-friendly bags made from recycled sails from around the world. Ella, a sailor herself, started making the bags from old sails and friends started wanting them. Her ‘urban-chic’ collection includes a variety of designs and sizes from small cocktail cache’ to totes and duffel bags.