This is gorgeous.
It’s also Made in the USA and cut to reduce waste. You make it even more sustainable by using it in place of disposable plastic or paper bags. (for more on the leather debate, read this)
Tag Archives: Leather
I’m invincible with my Baggu bag!
Baggu:
1. The Japanese word for “bag”
2. An awesome company located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn that makes sustainable reusable bags in many shapes and colors.
I visited the Baggu headquarters a few weeks ago, and just last week purchased my very first Baggu bag: the backpack in coral.
Walk a mile in an Eco-Fashionista’s Shoes: 5 Eco-Fabulous Shoes Brands
1. Cri-de-Coeur: Parsons graduates Gina Ferraraccio and Julie Dicterow are the designers of this line of gorgeous vegan footwear. Made from non-animal materials including vegan leather, vegan suede, and reclaimed wood, the design does not compromise on style! From the website: Continue reading
Kristen Lombardi’s Manimal Moccasins & More
During her “post-college breakdown,” Massachusetts native Kristen Lombardi took a trip 
to an Arizona Apache reservation. While there, she wanted to buy a pair of authentic handmade moccasins. No such luck: the people on the reservation wouldn’t sell them to her. All she found were the mass-produced Minnetonkas in the tourist shops.
Having studied fashion design at the Massachusetts College of Art (which, incidentally, is the nation’s only state art school), Kristen was undeterred. When she got back from her trip, she took out a book on moccasins from the library and figured out how to make her own. Now, years later, she is the owner and designer of Manimal, a line of locally-produced moccasins and accessories inspired by the American Southwest. I met Kristen in her Brooklyn studio last week.
What’s in a Moccasin?
Rather than using a specific, traditional tribal design, Kristen has drawn on different styles from different tribes to create something that is all her own. Inspired by the natural world, the line is produced thoughtfully and with low-impact. Everything is handmade in New York, by Kristen in her studio and two women that take home piecework.
The Great Leather Debate Continue reading
More fish!
Apparently designers are using other fishes than tilapia to make shoes and clothing.
Via Ecouterre:
Salmon Leather! 
It’s made from the skin that is a byproduct of the fish processing industry that usually gets tossed into the landfill, and made using chemicals that are less toxic than those for tanning mammal hides because fish scales are easier to remove from skin than hair. (Note: no new salmon is killed expressly for its skin.) It’s stronger than most land leathers, and no, it doesn’t smell fishy.