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Know Everything About Eco-Friendly Accessories: Handbags, Jewelry,
and Shoes
When talking
about eco-friendly fashion, the focus is generally on the
clothing—bamboo, organic cotton, hemp, stinging nettles, and so
on. But what about the accessories? The handbags, jewelry, belts, and
every woman’s favorite: shoes. Fortunately, eco-conscious
fasionistas have plenty of options when it comes to sustainable accessories.
Handbags
Sustainable
handbags come in the form of recycled leather, eco fabrics like
organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo, recycled sails, even candy
wrappers. A great place to start for one-of-a-kind accessories with
an eco-friendly twist is EcoEtsy, the place crafters come to sell
their wares. This group of creative folk is dedicated to using less
packaging and materials while making something beautiful.
For a more
classic look, check out Beth Springer’s collection. Springer
works out of Venice, California, and makes her pieces from recycled
vegetable-dyed leather and other reused materials. Any waste in her
studio is incorporated into some other creation.
Jewelry
In recent
years, a harsh light has been cast onto the diamond industry and most
people understand what a “blood diamond” means. What many
people may not realize though, is the environmental devastation that
goes into mining these conflict diamonds. Diamond mining in Africa
has poisoned the water surrounding the mines and wiped out precious
agricultural soil, not to mention the loss of human life. Brilliant
Earth is a jewelry company based in San Francisco that sells Canadian
diamonds that are guaranteed to be conflict-free and harvested in an
environmentally friendly fashion. Five percent of profits go towards
rebuilding African communities that have been harmed through blood diamonds.
Tribal Chick
showcases a really interesting collection of eco-friendly
jewelry. Their pieces are made from seeds and fruit. Before you
picture an elementary-school project that leaves you with flies
buzzing around you, think again. These pieces are elegant with a
funky twist. The seeds look like colorful beads and the fruit is
shaped into soft petal-like shapes.
Shoes
Footwear is
the great equalizer. Everyone wears shoes, you don’t have to be
tall, thin, or rich to wear fabulous, fun shoes. Simple Shoes is a
great line that they admit has taken years to perfect. Their
materials range from recycled tires, inner tubes, hemp, plastics,
bamboo, and coconut to the just-added, recycled carpet padding. Their
shoes reflect their name and are casual with minimal bells and
whistles, but are extremely comfortable and versatile.
If you want a
little more pizzazz and variety, check out Moo Shoes, a vegan shoe
store located in New York (don’t worry, they ship!). They have a
huge collection, from your basic black stiletto to turquoise strappy
sandals, and they do carry men’s shoes as well. Moo Shoes only
works with companies that have fair trade standards with
environmentally-friendly practices.
Check out your
local scene for eco-friendly accessories
and when people ask where you got your purse, necklace, or shoes, you
can teach them how stylish sustainable fashion can be!
Make More Room
in Your Drawers and Jewelry Box for New Items |
