Let Your Fashion Dollars Make a Difference

Rural Mom is pleased to welcome Ellen from Confessions of an Overworked Mom to share her views on fashion, the environment, and a terrific eco-fab find: 

To say that I love to shop is probably an understatement. There’s just something about the thrill of a new pair of shoes or a new bag that gets my fashion adrenalin pumping. As much as I love heading out to the store to shop, I worry about the impact of my purchases on our environment. Not all fabrics are eco-friendly. Not all items are created using sustainable practices. Not all companies are companies I want to support. I try to stay aware of these facts while I’m shopping so my money goes toward companies and products I approve of.

I recently learned of a new shopping site called Bazura Bags that transforms trash in the Philippines into handbags and fashion accessories. They work closely with a woman’s cooperative in the Philippines who collect used juice containers, recycled rice bags, and discarded advertising banners. The women who are part of this co-op then transform this trash into gorgeous fashion pieces. Creating beauty from trash serves two purposes. It cleans up the environment in and around Manila and the Philippines and also eliminates tons of trash from local landfills.

Bazura Bags turns this trash into a variety of different types of bags including shopping and tote bags, cooler bags, diaper bags, laundry bags, duffel bags, shoulder bags and make up bags. Since the containers that they use are not bio-degradable, turning them into something useful keeps them from ending up in the land fill where they will stay for years.

I love the fun, colorful designs of the Bazura Bags. I’m a huge fan of Japanese kawaii and these bags remind me of the fun images and bright colors that style uses. I received a cute cosmetic bag that was created using drink containers of Fun Chum Pineapple Drink (love that name!). The containers were yellow with green pineapples and these containers were pieced together and combined with black fabric to create the finished cosmetic bag. I love having a one of a kind fashion bag that none of my friends are going to have and I can feel good about purchases from Bazura Bags as well.

Bazura Bags also offers vintage bags with a slightly different fashion look. Vintage Bazura Bags are made by Indian women in their homes using vintage textiles recovered from local tapestries and blankets. These pieces are color matched and then combined with new fabrics, made from 100% cotton.

If fashion is your thing, let your fashion dollars support a company that’s making a difference. Stylish and eco-friendly can go together!

For more details about Bazura Bags visit http://bazurabags.com/

Find more eco-friendly, time-saving, and gourmet products at Confessions of an Overworked Mom.