Great Green Goods - Shopping the Eco-friendly Way! » Eco-Friendly Bags and Purses

Handbags created from recycled records

green — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:51:12 +0000

From Brazilian artist, Gueth Freitas, beautifully painted handbags made from recycled records. She paints on the black vinyl records with “nanquin” a Chinese ink …her designs are bold and punchy! She paints enough of the surface to give is a strong graphic look, however, if examined closely your admirers will see the classic tracks of the record. If you would like to give this as a gift, Novica includes and “artisan card” which tells the story of the artist and the materials used…it is a nice touch. There are several designs and different sizes available at Novica.com.

Earrings and pendant necklaces are also available from this artist using the same process of painting on recycled vinyl records. These items are playfully named “Samba Symphony” and “Samba Swing” and “Copacabana Melody”
Click here for availability and prices from Novica.com

Recycled Newspaper Stories

green — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 05:34:29 +0000

Recycled Newspaper Beads

For a great tutorial on how to make beads out of recycled newspaper>> Imagine the possibilities …necklaces!! earrings!! and bracelets!!, oh my!! All created from materials that cost nothing!

Recycled Newspaper Bags

From Amazon, Oenophilia Yesterday’s News Recycled Newspaper Weave Single-Bottle Wine Satchel Made with recycled newspaper pages …a great way to deliver a bottle of wine or sparkly as a housewarming or hostess gift.

Recycled Newspaper Pencils

Pencils made directly from rolled up newspapers. You can actually read the newsprint on the side of pencil since they are manufactured by using whole newspaper sheets rolled around HB high-quality #2 graphite. There is no mulching or mixing with toxic recycling chemicals. Available at TreeSmart

Recycled Newspaper Shoes

Handcrafted with the help of cottage industry artists in China from recycled Chinese language newspapers that are woven into a lattice pattern. The eco-friendly nature stop there when they are “dipped in plastic” for durability. Still, wearing the news on your feet will keep a few pages of the newspaper out of the landfill. Designed by Colin Lin for “All Black” and available at Moxsie

Recycled Newspaper Handbag

Handspun Recycled Newspaper Yarn

Concept created by artisit, Greetje van Tiem, but Doug Gunzelmann, over at Green Upgrader created a step by step tutorial on how to create your very own recycled newpaper yarn.

Recycled Newspaper Coffin

Made by hand from recycled newspapers and finished with paper made from 100% mulberry pulp, the Ecopod is available in a range of colors with and without screen printed motifs, plain white, or gold.

Recycled Newspaper Logs for your Fire

Step by step instructions on how to make logs from recycled newspaper available at Instructables. Warning: Be prepared to be attacked by advertising over at Instructables.

Recycled Newspaper Jewelry

Created from recycled stock market listings …do they even list those in the paper anymore? Available at Newspaper Jewelry

Recycled Newspaper Clutch

From Ecoist, a recycled newspaper clutch. I always have a soft spot in my heart for Ecoist because I think they were the first to make handbags out of newspaper and candy wrappers …they are high quality too.

Recycled Newspaper Ornaments

Made from recycled, black-and-white newspaper pages, these Star Urchins are the artist’s modern interpretation of a Polish folk art decoration, a style of ornament making that dates back beyond a hundred years. $40.00 for three ornaments at Kissa Design’s Esty Shop

Recycled Newspaper Bangles

Narrow wood bangle bracelets that have been decoupaged with scraps of Indian newspapers. Each piece is one of kind and hand crafted in Squishy Sushi’s Etsy studio in San Francisco, CA.

Ties That Matter

green — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 06:07:04 +0000

I’ve recently learned about Ties That Matter which is a ‘zero waste company’. The company uses donated recycled neckties to create functional art including handbags, totebags, diaper bags, reusable grocery bags and pillows. They even stuff their pillows with leftover fabric scraps. Their good work does not stop there!! …they also engage women in Atlanta refugee and outreach centers and contribute a percentage of their profits to the homeless. If you have a special tie in your life that you would like to see incorporated into a bag or pillow, get in touch with Ties That Matter. They are happy to accommodate custom work. They also will happily take donations of your old recycled ties.
Prices range from $16.00 to $50.00 at Ties That Matter

Vintage Recycled Rubber Large Bentley Messenger Bag

green — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:47:07 +0000

This is such a classic! Perfect for the independent spirit (with a tree-hugger heart) to fit in to the working world. This Recycled Rubber Messenger Bag has such a classic shape, color and look yet on closer inspection, you can see that it is not genuine leather but a recycled truck tire. Since it is made from recycled tires, it works well in all kinds of weather and will hold up to most everything. It will continue to look beautiful for years to come. Cleans easily and quickly.
$175.95 at Amazon

Recycled Kite Sail Bags

green — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:38:24 +0000

Created from cast-off sails from wind surfers and kite surfers in Maui, these cool, colorful bags are light, weatherproof and ready to haul your stuff from where you be at to where you be going! The material consists of recycled, re-purposed tough durable plastic and nylon materials, which has plenty of life left to it. Sailbags Maui owner, Kristine Hoffman sells purses, handbags and beachtotes which she has designed and created.
$125.00 for the large size at Sailbags Maui

Recycled Crafts from Haiti

green — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:04:46 +0000

These items are created by a group of more than 200 Haitian artisans called Comite Artisanal Haitian (CAH). The group was founded in 1973 as a non-profit organization.

$39.00 at One World Projects

$17.00 at One World Projects

One World Projects will donate 50% of all Haitian product profits to non-profit organizations such as Partners in Health / Stand with Haiti (www.standwithhaiti.org) and AmeriCares (www.americares.org).

Embroidered covered journal created from recycled cement bags and filled with recycled paper.
$25.00 at Haitian Artisans for Peace International

Haitian Artisans for Peace International (HAPI) was founded in March 2007 with a mission for ‘securing health, education, dignity and hope through economic opportunities’.

Handmade of papier mache from recycled materials by artisans in Haiti.
$45.00 at Stray Dog Designs

Available in 15 different colors. Papier mache crabs created from recycled materials. Handmade by artisans in Haiti.
$135.00 at Stray Dog Designs

Small colorful clutch or purse is handmade by artisans in Haiti out of recycled materials as part of the RARA project. The RARA Project helps underprivileged Haitian women generate income to provide for their families, and trains them in skills such as sewing and weaving, all while promoting environmental responsibility.
$22.00 at The Hunger Site

Recycled empty oils drums transformed into sculptured steel designs .
$79.00 at VivaTerra (VivaTerra is raising money and has already donated $10,000.00 to Carribean Craft)

More oil drum art from Haiti…purchase from Fair Trade Marketplace and while you are at it pick up one of their Organic Cotton Unity T’s and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Fair Trade artisans and farmers in Haiti.
$29.95 at Fair Trade Marketplace

Eco-friendly Bags

green — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:30:54 +0000

We’re introducing a new advertiser on GreatGreenGoods today …and we are so happy to have them! If you looking for a good looking bag that is also eco-friendly, you can’t go wrong with a bag from instinctive. They are made with recycled materials (the main body fabric, the polyester webbing and the plastic buckles are all recycled) and they are manufactured in a Fair Labor Association and Social Accountability International approved factory. What separates instinctive from the pack is that they have a lifetime “Takeback” policy….which means that if you want a new look, you can return your bag for repair or replacement.

$49.99 at Instinctive

$59.99 at Instinctive
There are additional styles available on the Instinctive website and don’t forget … when you purchase one of these bags, 1% is donated to The Wild Foundation.

Recycled Clutch from Recycled Subway Maps

green — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:25:26 +0000

Recycled subway map clutch…perfect to hold coins or makeup in a bigger bag or could hold the basics for a night on the town. (The bag has a convenient zipper up on top so nothing will fall out). Also available are clutches made out of barcodes, newspapers, candy wrappers and magazines. Find your favorite trash and have some fun.
$28.00 at Uncommon Goods

Recycled Bags by Maria Buzina

green — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:14:57 +0000

If you love color, these are the bags for you! Created and hand painted by Brazilian Artisist Gabi Goncalves, these gorgeous bags are made from recycled truck tarps. So they start off their life functional and utilitarian as truck tarps …then when their use is done, they are recycled in to these beautiful one-of-a-kind bags that will last forever.
Lots of different sizes, styles and prices to choose from at EarthLover Shopping

EarthLover Shopping is a new advertiser on GreatGreenGoods and we are grateful to their support!

Recycled Messenger Bags – Eco Back To School

green — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:26:18 +0000

This one is from Alchemy Goods and made from recycled inner tubes and recycled seatbelts – 67% recycled materials. Perfect for my little ibook.
$128.00 at Alchemy Goods

This one from Freitag is made from recycled bicycle inner tubes, seat belts and truck tarpaulins. One of kind you can pick off their website.
$195.00 at Freitag
Both of these companies offer a wide range of sizes and prices.