Founded by two ambitious mothers, Stefanie and Michelle, BagInspiration has eco-friendly bags of all types. They bring together stylish purses and handbags made of recycled or sustainable materials such as inner tube handbags, hemp bags and seat belt bags. Their bags are cool, hip and best of all groovy green!
Want to know a little secret? I feel extra connected to this company because they are located in my hometown, Madison, Wisconsin. My sister introduced me to these lovely ladies and the rest is history. Now I feel extra lucky because they sent me one of their eco-friendly bags to test out. It doesn’t end there-they have also agreed to share the love and give one of my devoted readers a be-bop bag of their own.
The Be-Bop Bag
First off the name makes you want to wear the bag all the time. Be-Bop: it’s just a happy name. I was sent the purple Smateria Be Bop Shoulder Bag and it was love at first sight. It’s made from repurposed mosquito netting and can be worn cross body or on your shoulder. The bag is the perfect size for carrying around an iPad. It has a magnetic snap to hold the bag closed. I had a small amount of difficulty keeping the snap closed-probably because the bag was overflowing with my ‘stuff’. I really liked the zippered compartment inside for valuables. Smateria was established in Cambodia in 2006 by two Italian friends who believed in the 3 R’s: reducing, reusing and recycling. Their motto is “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”.
GIVEAWAY!
BagInspiration has graciously agreed to give one Groovy Green Livin reader their very own Be-Bop bag valued at $45!
BagInspiration is offering Groovy Green Livin readers a special DISCOUNT CODE: GGL, which can be entered at checkout for an additional 15% off any product. Shipments come in every 6 weeks, so if there is a color wanted that they don’t carry a special order can be placed.
Disclosure: I received a Be-Bop bag for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’ve jumped in head first. Have you? Pinterest is my new hobby aka time suck. I’m spending A LOT of time finding really cool things and in the process discovering great sites that I might not otherwise come across. I have so many ideas for boards that my head is spinning. Today I created a board for Eco Valentines Crafts with Kids. Let me know if you have any good craft projects to add to the board (or any of the boards).
One of my favorite pins is 10 ways to cook quinoa. It has more protein per ounce than meat!
Don’t let that stop you. Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Let me know if you’d like an invite-you need one to join.
If you are a Pinterest newbie HERE are a few tips to get you started. If you are a Pinterest veteran HERE‘s a post that will make you laugh.
I’m really having fun following so many of you. I’m amazed at the number of creative ideas out there. So let’s connect on Pinterest. Come and find me and I’ll follow you back.
It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by since I first launched this site. Time flies when you’re having fun! There’s no way I could let this date pass without a big thank you to all of YOU. Without you I would be doing a whole lotta talking to myself and that wouldn’t be any fun at all. So thank you for stopping by and providing me with oodles of support, suggestions, thought provoking comments, questions and ideas. You, my loyal and amazing groovy greenies, help to make this work.
In honor of my blogaversary I’ve decided to throw myself a little party and it’s happening in San Diego starting tomorrow. Some of you will be there and some of you won’t-but you’re all invited. I’m going to celebrate in style at BlogHer. BlogHer is a conference that brings together thousands (no joke-over 3,000) of women bloggers (and a sprinkling of men) from around the world to discuss, inspire and connect with each other. There will also be brands, brands and more brands there.
I’m ready. My schedule is somewhat daunting, with parties into the wee hours of the night. But I can’t think of any other way I’d want to celebrate. It’s my hope to connect with a handful of some of the incredible bloggers and brands that I’ve gotten to know virtually this past year. Beyond that……I’m willing to wait and see.
My problem of the moment: Getting my red carpet wardrobe together. I’m an over packer and I’m seriously out of control. Hopefully that will be the biggest issue of the weekend.
If you want to follow my BlogHer adventures be sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook for updates galore. I’ll hopefully post some pictures too.
More posts about my blogaversary to come. Stay tuned.
So off I go to celebrate…..thanks for everything!
[Photo used under Creative Commons from D. Sharon Pruit/Flickr]
Spring has definitely not sprung in the Boston area (it’s snowing as I am writing), but knowing that Spring is just a few weeks away makes the slushy, cold days bearable. If your weather isn’t very “springlike” don’t let it deter you from gearing up for a stylish spring and beginning to prep your wardrobe for warmer weather.
There’s more than just shopping to think about. There are a few simple steps you can take to make eco friendly choices when freshening up your wardrobe.
Have a heart to heart with your closet (Recycle)
For every piece of clothing you add to your wardrobe consider donating something you haven’t used to someone in need. After all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Donateguide.com has some suggestions for clothing donations.
Buy less (Reduce)
When you’re considering a clothing purchase, ask yourself whether you really need the item.
Buy from a second-hand shop (Reuse)
Second-hand clothing is a great option for eco-minded consumers. If you want to avoid the risk of supporting a sweatshop and want to keep your spending down, opt for a consignment or thrift shop.
Do your homework
Fairly Traded
Look for clothing that is hip and ethical. Fair trade clothing has come a long way from the frumpy, not-so-stylish wear of years past. Now you can find chic and stylish couture that is also eco friendly. When you buy Fair Trade clothing you’re supporting a system that provides fair wages and healthy working conditions to economically disadvantaged artisans worldwide. Fair trade clothing is made by people who work in safe factories and are paid a decent wage for their work.
Not produced in a Sweatshop
Fair trade clothing offers consumers a sustainable alternative to sweat shop made items. Sweatshops are known for paying ridiculously low wages and exploiting their employees’ by denying bathroom breaks and sick leave, and retaliating against workers who seek better treatment.
Check Green America’s National Green Pages™ for a listing of companies that have made firm commitments to sustainable, socially just principles, including the support of sweatshop-free labor, organic farms, fair trade, and cruelty-free products.
Everyone’s doing it
Big name designers are joining in, designing fashions that are eco friendly and using organic fiber and even recycled plastic soda bottles which they turn into fabric.
Some big names to consider:
H&Mlaunched a Conscious Collection this spring. The line uses organic cotton, Tencel®, and recycled polyester.
Stella McCartney unveiled her Spring-Summer 2011 collection from Stella McCartney Kids. The vegetarian designer has kept her environmentally friendly ethics, using 100% organic cotton pieces featuring nature and animal illustrations and natural cork soled shoes.
Thankfully, being green sells and no one wants to be left behind.
This Spring (and always) you have the opportunity to make a difference. What are some of your eco friendly fashion ideas for welcoming a much needed Spring?
This post is for the Green Moms Carnival on Spring Fashion & Eco Choices hosted by Diane at Big Green Purse. For more great tips on Spring fashion the eco friendly way be sure to stop by Big Green Purse later this week.
Lori Popkewitz Alper, Founder and Editor of Groovy Green Livin, provides eco-wellness consulting for businesses, schools, homes and individuals; and inspiration for a greener lifestyle through her Groovy Green Livin blog and website. Read more….
Founded by two ambitious mothers, Stefanie and Michelle, BagInspiration has eco-friendly bags of all types. They bring together stylish purses and handbags made of recycled or sustainable materials such as inner tube handbags, hemp bags and seat belt bags. Their bags are cool, hip and best of all groovy green!
First off the name makes you want to wear the bag all the time. Be-Bop: it’s just a happy name. I was sent the purple Smateria Be Bop Shoulder Bag and it was love at first sight. It’s made from repurposed mosquito netting and can be worn cross body or on your shoulder. The bag is the perfect size for carrying around an iPad. It has a magnetic snap to hold the bag closed. I had a small amount of difficulty keeping the snap closed-probably because the bag was overflowing with my ‘stuff’. I really liked the zippered compartment inside for valuables. Smateria was established in Cambodia in 2006 by two Italian friends who believed in the 3 R’s: reducing, reusing and recycling. Their motto is “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”.
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