Celeb-Worthy Environmentalist Handbags

I wrote about all sorts of eco-friendly bags and totes just a couple weeks ago, but I simply can't get enough! Helen E. Riegle, designer and founder of Her Design handbags is someone that I can't allow myself to skim over without mentioning.

Riegle's artistic, sometimes-architecturally styled handbags have been seen on a multitude of high-profile celebrities including Helen Mirren (The Queen), Lacey Chapert (Mean Girls), Eliza Dukshu (Tru Calling), Rick and Kathy Hilton (Socialites), Nikki Reed (The O.C.), and many others.

Riegle said she has always been passionate about fashion, but specifically creating environmentally-friendly pieces. She was born in England and received a Bachelor of Arts in Design. After her education she spent years traveling and designing exhibitions. "I was frustrated that I couldn’t find beautiful products that were made in a responsible way. With so much waste and pollution in manufacturing I was determined to do my business differently," Riegle said.

A year before the actual launch of the company, Riegle spent her time researching materials, factories and patterns and her first official collection became available to the public in 2004.

To further enhance the original quality of Her Design handbags, each individual bag has its own tag attached that describes the inspiration derived from the particular piece. Despite the individual nature of each bag, Riegle said that her biggest inspiration stems from Vicorian designer William Morris. She was especially influenced after reading his book, "The Grammar of Ornament", published in 1856, Riegle said.

According to Riegle, the materials used for Her Design handbags are extensive and well thought out for each individual design. Some of the materials she uses regularly include:

• Organic Cotton (the dyes used are low-impact, fiber-reactive, low-sulfur, low-metal and formaldehyde-free)
• EcoSpun (from recycled PET plastic bottles-a lower energy level than traditional fleece)
• Hemp (sustainable and does not use as many chemicals when growing as cotton)
• Tencel (a type of linen that is biodegradable and made from a synthetic fiber from wood pulp)
• Treetap (a natural version of leather)
• Pendleton Wood Flannel (its health impacts on the earth and on humans are evaluated regularly- "Cradle to Cradle certified")
• Nytek (a vegan alternative to leather that is three times stronger than traditional animal leather)

Not only do Her Design handbags top off a glamorous, modern look, but they also contribute to many charities. According to Riegle, Her Design has donated to Healthlink, NRDC, Plan USA, Sierra Club, Special Olympics and UNICEF. Some of the environmental organizations that Her Design has contributed handbags to for fundraising purposes include The Children's Nature Institution, Go Veggie! and The Nature Conservancy.

Stylish, environmentally-friendly handbags are everywhere right now- in every shape, size, color, texture and recycled material. For future reference, below is a list of Web sites selling green-chic bags that I think deserve attention:

• Ecoist (made from colorful recycled candy wrappers-these were given to celebrities at the MTV Latin Video Music Awards!)
• Eco-Handbags (a site dedicated to different brands of bizarre and fun recycled bags-materials range from sailboat sails to chopsticks, zippers to juice boxes)
• Novica (a company of National Geographic, these coconut shell and recycled wood bags are for the core naturalist)
• Eco-Friendly Handbags (made from 100% reclaimed rubber inner tubes)
• Pibiones (luxurious woven styles made from bamboo, coral and wood)
• Flat-Bags (sporty messenger bags derived from recycled tires and rediscovered fabrics)
• Eco Girl Handbags (colorful with large, overt designs-for all the drama queens out there)
• Five Accessories (made from eco-friendly materials in Bali, Guatemala and Honduras)
• Pristine Planet (fair-trade beaded coin purses)
  

Thanks for reading!

Amy