By Stancie Wilson •
September 26, 2008
I’ve admired Moop for some time now. Having discovered them initially on Etsy, I have been following the evolution of the company and their bags wishing that one day they would incorporate organic textiles in their designs. Well, that day has come and they’ve launched their very popular Market Bag in organic cotton with more on the way! Based in Massachusetts, the brain-child of Wendy Downs, is a small operation that makes all its bags from start to finish in their studio and prides itself on quality craftsmenship that’s designed to last. Wendy is not only the owner, designer and seamstress, she is also the model for all her bags. Most recently VenusZine nominated Moop in their HOTT LIST as one of the Best Indie Businesses of 2008. (If you’re already a fan, you can nominate them here).
By Paul Smith •
July 17, 2008
When is a soda bottle not a soda bottle? When it is a messenger bag. A tote. Or a laptop sleeve. Last year, the founders of Shoreline, an established maker of laptop jackets and sleeves, decided they would blend their environmental concern with the now practical alternative to petroleum based fabrics, recycled PET (aka plastic soda/water bottles) fabrics.
And they succeeded, after much persistence, coming out with what would be the replacement for their current line, called Act2GreenSmart. A brave move for a company making a comfortable living on their existing line. Everything, save the zipper and the strap, was made from recycled PET.
They could have stayed this safe, practical course, transitioning from one core to the same, green version. But since then. they’ve continued on, deepening their knowledge, and expanding their line, to include a broader range of users. An unexpected treasure that came out of them being frequently asked green related questions at the college bookstore conventions they presented at is their GreenSmart Glossary. From “compostable” to “petroleum derivative” they not only define these terms, they give both an optimist’s and a cynic’s perspective on each term.
This is reflective of the founders, who take a hopeful yet practical look at each consideration when it comes to their products.
