We are still getting countless emails asking about Anya Hindmarch's "I'm Not a Plastic Bag". Well, those are sold out and she is not making any more but there are other absolutely adorable shopping bags out there. Here are two of our favorites. The Green and Gorgeous from Scoop NYC ($28 at Vivre) is linen and cotton with jute handles. The message is clear, it is not just about not using plastic or recycling - destroying the earth is an ugly thing. The super cute and more sublte Green NYC Shopper from Hable Construction ($75 exclusively at Barneys) is big at 20" x 18" x 7" and made with untreated, undyed cotton canvas. It is structured so it's perfect for things other than shopping, like picnics, beach, school, work and bringing your share to holiday potlucks. The message "Lose the Plastic" (written on the back) is not as world encompassing but $10 of each bag sold goes to planting trees in NYC, so you can feel good and look good! These make the most wonderful Christmas gifts, something everyone will enjoy and appreciate. And makes your shopping so much more rewarding (not to mention easier, buy it for everyone and you can avoid the dreaded mall).
i've been thinking about getting the barney's bag. the anya bag is just a little small for groceries.
it's great to promote eco-friendly bags, and both of the bagsnobs seem really passionate about the cause... but all of the leather and (especially) exotic skin bags are seriously the opposite of sustainable. i won't go on about it, but please read http://www.eco-furniture.com/pbj/eco-facts.php#leather
if you're interested.
i know this isn't a "green" blog, and i think leather and exotic skin bags can be gorgeous, but being "green" is not just buying products that say they're green - it's also about not buying products that are bad for the environment.
no hard feelings ladies, i'm not berating you... i think it's just something to think about :)
About the whole environmental thing, (bag)snobs have been planet friendly for ever. We have been recycling vintage treasures since before people knew about the ozone layer, I still wear a ski jumper knitted by my great grand mother for my mother in the 60s and carry vintage bags owned by my grandmother. The bags posted here are to marvel and inspire, only a few women can afford to buy all the wonderful bags mentioned here. What I love about bagsnob is that it comes back time and again to the classics, and really talks about good design, with a cheeky nod to the current trends. I imagine that the companies making bags in python, ostrich etc only make a handful, to give a fillip to their sales of standard bags, no? If a beautiful animal has given up its life for a bag, it deserves to be treasured and loved, the only shame is when these skins are turned into fugly bags but SOMEBODY buys them so beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. To get back to the point, proper Anya Hindmarch bags are great, but producing thousands of canvas bags for a supermarket chain isn't the most environmentally proactive thing I can think of! What about using one of the bags we actually have already!?