New York designer Gina Michele reminds us that sustainable materials can be just as stylish as their less eco-friendly cousins with her signature fashion line.

The bags and apparel items from Gina Michele are made entirely from green fabrics, including bamboo, organic cotton, and reclaimed suede, leather, and silk. Animal activists may argue that anything using suede or leather can’t be truly considered green, but I think Gina Michele makes a compelling argument here. While the creation of new sustainable fabrics emits greenhouse gases, the use of these reclaimed materials has a zero carbon footprint.

The bags are adorned with feathers sourced humanely from a no-kill farm, metal studs, and rope handles. The use of reclaimed hardware and vegetable dyes would make the purses a bit more green, but I still have to admire the measures Gina Michele has taken.

I love the worn-in, weathered appearance of the reclaimed suede and leather on these purses. They’re contemporary without slavishly following trends, and relatively affordable considering each one is handcrafted.

The handbags cost as little as $198, and you can get a Gina Michele bamboo jersey dress for just $82. That’s a very affordable green outfit by anyone’s standards! You’ll find these eco-friendly apparel items and accessories at Gina Michele’s website and Supermarket HQ.

[Source: Gina Michele website]

Recycled Leather Bags on eBay

[phpbay]recycled leather, 2, 63852, “”[/phpbay]

Alexander Wang’s latest bags all have a trunk-inspired shape. I don’t know where the idea came from, but the results are gorgeous. This Emile ostrich skin bag is gorgeously exotic, but totally wearable.

I’m a big fan of the ostrich effect on this leather. It has a naturally textured surface that is immediately recognizable and is both supple and durable. It really works on the Emile because it holds the structured shape well, but softly.

The hexagonal shape of the Emile is really unique. The wide frame opening looks great and makes it easy to open the bag entirely, which makes getting to your stuff very easy. You can also see the contents of your bag from the top, which is great on a largish bag. The Emile is mostly minimalist, but has great details like the corner plates that add to the look and the practicality.

At $1,045, the Emile is a bit pricier than some of Wang’s bags, but well worth it for its beautiful material, timeless design, and generous size.

More Features Of The Alexander Wang Emile Ostrich Effect Leather Trunk Tote

• 17″ x 13″ x 6″ size
• 5″ strap drop
• Detachable shoulder strap
• Fully lined in black canvas

Get this Alexander Wang Emile Ostrich Effect Tote:

• Available to buy at Net-A-Porter
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Alexander Wang bags on eBay
• The Alexander Wang Coco Duffel Bag, a larger alternative to this bag.
• Searching for more Alexander Wang handbags on eBay
• Other ostrich totes on eBay:
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I’m always a sucker for bows on purses, and the cute size and shape of this particular example endear it to me even more.

OK, so bows are kind of overdone. You’ll find them on everything, in every size conceivable, and brands are hard pressed to do anything different or creative with them. However, I think that Melie Bianco has actually managed to add some variety in, thanks to the fact that their big purse-sized bow features that gorgeous central section wrapping itself around the curvy base of the bag.

The rest of the Maya clutch is, to be honest, somewhat same old same old. A little snap closure frame purse in the same synthetic patent leather, it does what it says on the tin and not much more. Still, to have nice touches like the cute retro polka-dot lining, long chain strap and the interior pocket means that you do get a lot for the bargainous $63 price.

This is a cute, cheap and feminine purse, and I think it looks great!

More Features of this Melie Bianco Bow Clutch

• Synthetic leather exterior
• Interior zip pocket
• Polkadot fabric lining
• Optional long chain strap

Get this Cute Maya Purse:

• Available to buy on Amazon
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Melie Bianco bags on BagBunch
• The Franchi Sabine clutch, a great alternative to this bow bag.
• Searching for more bow bags on eBay
• Other Melie Bianco bags on eBay:

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If you thought raffia bags were simply cheap and cheerful throwaway items, think again. Salvatore Ferragamo gives us a more luxurious alternative with this Maia Gancio Raffia Tote.

The striking red raffia makes this tote a real head turner. I don’t always embrace colorblocked designs, but the strip of blood red raffia bordering the brighter scarlet shade works really well. The contrast is just subtle enough to win me over, if anything in such vivid shades can be called subtle!

The bold fan shape also helps the Maia Gancio stand out from the pack. This wide, open design is anchored by a tortoiseshell printed ring handle. I love the art deco vibe this handle brings, perhaps enough to overlook its impracticality. Although if you ask me again when the bag is loaded up I might not be so forgiving!

I wouldn’t push it too far as raffia is a naturally brittle material, even when it’s been worked under designer hands. Overstuffing will also make it difficult to find anything, as there’s only a single zippered pocket inside.

It’s got more style than substance, but those luxury good looks make a compelling argument. And at $990, the price isn’t completely unreasonable by designer standards. Salvatore Ferragmo, you’re tempting me.

More Features of This Salvatore Ferragamo Raffia Tote

• A top handle with a 5 inch drop
• Fabric lined interior
• Measures 15 x 14 x 6 inches
• Made in Italy

Get this Salvatore Ferragamo Maia Gancio Handbag:

• Available to buy at Saks Fifth Avenue
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Salvatore Ferragamo bags on BagBunch
• The Maxx New York Daisy tote bag, a great alternative to this colored raffia bag.
• Searching for more Salvatore Ferragamo bags on eBay
• Other raffia tote bags on eBay:

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It looks like Italian designer Illaria Venturini Fendi will finally bring her sustainable Carmina Campus bags to the United States.

Illaria is the youngest of three daughters born to Anna Fendi, one of the five sisters in charge of the iconic Fendi fashion house. Yes, she’s of that Fendi stock. But she turned her back on the family business and her life of luxury when she moved to a sustainable, organic farm just outside Rome.

There she developed Carmina Campus, a range of environmentally friendly handbags created by artisans in third-world countries. Carmina Campus has many different lines, but some of the most popular are from the 100% Made in Africa collection. These accessories are made from materials salvaged from Kenyan and Ugandan landfill sites. Carmina Campus employs local artisans under fair trade conditions to turn this trash into fashionable treasures.

Illaria Venturini Fendi and her team recently spent ten days in the United States pitching her bags to major retailers. Surely one of them has to bite. It’s rare that we see a designer with such pedigree creating bags that are as good for the planet and its people. Do you think America would embrace Carmina Campus?

[Source: StyleList]

Roxy began as a surf line, but lately it’s expanded operations to create more everyday accessories. This Sweet Home hobo is another Roxy purse that begs to be taken away from the shore.

With its generous dimensions and buckled front pockets, this is a hobo that puts practicality first. It’s stylish enough, but it doesn’t have that extra special something to make us weak at the knees. In a thick, plush leather I might be swooning, but the crinkled synthetic is just alright. For a bargain $42 though, just alright is just fine with me.

What really impresses me about the Sweet Home is the way it works for us. Rather than a traditional soft crescent shape, Roxy’s made this hobo quite boxy and structured. This shape maximizes storage space, and also makes the purse much easier to manage. Inside there are plenty of pockets, and while they’re not trimmed for strength they’ll help us stay organized.

The grommet studded strap is also completely adjustable, so we can convert this hobo from a shoulder bag to a cross-body to suit our needs.

Roxy skimps on the details with the Sweet Home, but I can still see real value for our dollar. If you’re looking for an affordable everyday handbag that will stay in vogue as long as its materials hold up, you may have met the one.

More Features of This Roxy Synthetic Hobo

• Zip top closure
• An adjustable strap with a 12 to 21 inch drop
• Measures 11 x 16 x 5 inches
• Also available in tobacco brown and white

Get this Roxy Sweet Home Handbag:

• Available to buy at Amazon (limited stock in tobacco)
• Available to buy on eBay (see listings below):

[phpbay]Roxy Sweet Home, 2, “”, “”[/phpbay]

• Check the Honey’s Place Hawaii eBay store to see if this Roxy bag is in stock
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Roxy bags on BagBunch
• The MICHAEL by Michael Kors Princeton bag, a great alternative to this hobo bag.
• Searching for more Roxy bags on eBay

Michael Kors had a long moment of popularity in the 1990s. All the models wore his low key, classic but modern pieces. In the past decade, however, he seems to have mostly regurgitated his own former designs or current trends. I’m not really sure where he was going with this textured leather bag, but it ended up pretty boring.

The chocolate brown leather is richly hued and textured, and it seems like the perfect material to start a nice classic style off with. The coolness of the silver hardware contrasts with the warmth of the leather, but the design of the clasp is a little too smooth to be very interesting.

The shape of this bag is definitely traditional, if not prim. Actually, I’m going to go ahead and say that it is prim. Not just that, but a little prissy too. Frankly, it’s just not an interesting style, unless you dig old lady chic. And if you do, I promise you can get a way cooler vintage bag than for the $595 this one costs.

More Features Of The Michael Kors Textured Leather Shoulder Bag

• 9″ x 7″ x 4″ size
• 14″ strap drop
• Fully lined

Get this Michael Kors Textured Leather Shoulder Bag:

• Available to buy at Net-A-Porter
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Michael Kors bags on BagBunch
• The Marc by Marc Jacobs Moto Proto Hobo Bag, a very cool alternative to this bag.
• Searching for more Michael Kors handbags on eBay
• Other brown leather shoulder bags on eBay:

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Roger Vivier shuns more popular animal prints for a healthy dose of cow with this Pochette Missive.

I appreciate a designer looking outside the box. I understand that reptilian prints and jungle animal patterns have been done to death. But cow? On a logical level these big black blotches make sense. The purse is made of hair calf after all, so I can see why Roger Vivier might have had bovines on the brain.

But these farmyard spots turn what could have been a sophisticated purse into something a bit gimmicky. It’s a shame because this Pochette Missive had some real potential. I love the way its tab threads through the cut-out design, and the engraved silver trim is a much classier alternative to a name plate or large logo.

The interior is also surprisingly well organized, with two separate compartments and a zippered pocket all working to keep your items in order. Really all that’s missing is a shoulder strap, but that’s not such a big omission. The Pochette Missive is pretty small, so you should be able to easily carry it by hand, even when it’s full to the brim.

At $935 the Pochette Missive is a pricy accessory. It’s made from high quality materials, but we don’t get a lot of them for our dollar. If you love cows though, this could be the purse for you!

More Features of This Roger Vivier Cow Pochette

• Black lined interior
• Measures 7 x 6 x 1.5 inches

Get this Roger Vivier Missive Handbag:

• Available to buy at My Theresa
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Roger Vivier bags on BagBunch
• The Roger Vivier Belle Petit clutch bag, a great alternative to this cow print bag.
• Searching for more Roger Vivier bags on eBay
• Other cow print bags on eBay:

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