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Liz

Liz is a freelance writer with a day job. She writes about feminism, fashion, her forties and family....

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Doing Good By Looking Good

Liz O'Donnell

The winners of the Independent Handbag Designer Awards (IHDA) were recently announced. I love this competition. It recognizes up and coming designers who stand out in a crowded market. Plus it is a great way to find new and inspired designs. "It" bags are nice but they all start to look alike after awhile. The IHDA contests showcases cutting-edge design and fresh ideas.

Helen Marchoschamer for Ecoist won the Best Green Handbag category. Ecoist is a fascinating company committed to sustainability. Ecoist recycles candy wrappers, soda labels, subway maps and newspapers, diverts them from landfills, and uses them to create stylish, eco-friendly bags.

The bag that wowed the IHDA judges was Slim Portfolio in Shades of Brown. Slim Portfolio is an oversized clutch made from repurposed candy wrappers. It is manufactured in Mexico by fair trade workers.
 

The company has an extensive collection. My favorites are the silver metallic bags made from foil gum wrappers. As they say, "One woman's trash is another woman's treasure." And then there is my new motto, "Doing good by looking good!"