I love this Kyoto print Tracy Tote bag from 144 Collection. This tote bag is HUGE, and I really love that it’s got plenty of pockets - two big exterior pockets and another one on the inside that’s big enough to carry a cell phone, keys and all your other necessities.

Launched over two years ago by designer Lesia Griffin, 144 Collection specializes in handmade bags and wristlets. What began as a hobby when Lesia started taking sewing lessons as a way to express her creative side has blossomed into a successful handbag business. And Lesia’s skills on the sewing machine have been well-honed through those lessons and plenty of experience: each bag is made to last out of the finest quality fabric.

You can custom order your own bag or shop from a selection of different purse, hobo, tote and wristlet styles in a fabulous array of fabric choices.

Check out the 144 Collection website or Etsy shop to shop for more bags or place a custom order.

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This is pretty cool… I just found out that Reware, a company known for its solar-powered Juice Bags, has released a new line of American-made bags made from recycled materials.

The bags in this new line, which includes messenger bags, hobo bags and attachés, are made from either their signature Rewoven™-brand polyester fabric (made entirely from recycled 2-liter soda bottles!) or their recycled cotton, which contains the highest proportion of guaranteed post-consumer cotton available anywhere in the world (75% recycled/25% new). Best yet, the prices are pretty comparable to similar styles you might find in a department store that were probably NOT made in the U.S.A. from recycled materials.

Personally, I’m still coveting their solar powered Juice Bags. They’d be great for people who hike or spend a lot of time outdoors… You’d never have to worry about your iPod running out of power: you could just charge it with the solar panel on the bag!

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Kling is a line of super-chic vegan clutches and mini handbags. I love the modern stylized designs on these. They’re updated versions of what designer Natasha Kimling Kwan started out making using duct tape a few years back. Her line has evolved from the DIY duct tape aesthetic to something totally wearable and modern.

Check out her about page, where Natasha talks about her choice to use a super soft polyurethane based fabric instead of leather or vinyl. It was an eye-opening experience for her, and while I knew a lot of the information she mentions, some of it was new to me.

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There was an interesting piece on eco-fashion on CNN’s website the other day, including a mention of the legal dispute between Target and bag manufacturer Timbuk2 resulting from the use of recycled shopping bags in these messenger bags.

Green fashion is starting to hit the mainstream in a big way, and while it’s exciting, there are certainly some issues to watch out for. When green becomes trendy, can it stay truly eco-friendly?

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I just found out about this great company who makes reusable shopping bags and manufactures them entirely in New Orleans.

They also employed a New Orleanian for their web designer and they donate five percent of all their profits to a New Orleans charity.

They sent in some info to Styledash and I just posted about them over there - check it out.

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I love this pillbox shaped handbag made by UK-based indie bag designer Sarah Donegan.

Sarah’s sophisticated collection of unique purses is made primarily from recycled vintage textiles. She has great taste in fabrics and a beautiful eye for design. The bags look uber-expensive, but I think they’re pretty reasonably priced considering the handmade nature and the cost of such beautiful vintage fabrics.

Her gorgeous handbags are made to order and available for purchase through her website as well as select stockists. She also makes some lovely yoga bags as well, which are perfect for those ladies who identify more with Posh Spice than Sporty.

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One of my favorite eco-friendly accessory companies, Ecoist, is having their winter sale and right now you can save up to 50% on their bags crafted from recycled candy wrappers, newspapers and Coca-Cola bottle labels. This sweet little silver coin purse made from repurposed candy wrappers is currently only $18.

The sale prices are already marked down on the special offers section of their website, but you can take an additional 10% off by typing “wintersale08″ during checkout. This coupon is valid now through January 25 (additional terms and conditions may apply).

I only wish their amazing movie billboard clutches were included in the current sale! Maybe next time… A girl can hope!

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I love these quirky handbags and accessories created by Julie of 2nd Draft Design.

She weaves together out-dated materials such as library microfilm & old educational filmstrips to create these one of a kind purses and bracelets. Her recycled materials include microfilms of the New York Times and Life Magazine from 1965-1975. You can even check with Julie for specific dates to create a customized piece. (I think this would be a great idea for birthday gifts.)

You can help keep these historic materials out of a landfill and score a truly unique accessory at the same time!

*edited to add: Check the comments section for a special deal from Julie just for MissMalaprop readers! *

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Check out this cool clutch handbag, crafted by Redesigns by Durkin from vintage ties.

Of course I love it because it’s made from recycled materials, but I also really love the way the colors pop on this particular bag. Plus, I love the fact that while all of the materials are recycled, Redesigns by Durkin also purchases 90% of the ties they use from non-profit organizations and donates 10% of their overall profits to charity.

In addition to clutches, a larger style handbag as well as pillows are also available, and they’re all made by hand out of eco-friendly recycled neckties.

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Etsy’s Featured Seller can be such a great place for finding amazing designers. Like the current featured seller, chacha2.

I clicked through to the shop when a picture of a beautiful handmade Italian leather handbag caught my eye. (It’s already been sold!) Only now I’m totally lusting over this gorgeous leather wrap belt.

Ahhhh! And I’m not normally much of a handbag person, but I’m also drooling over this incredible purple leather wristlet.

Must.look.away.now.

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I recently set my awesome 14 year old niece up with an Etsy account; I figured it would be a good way to buy her birthday and Christmas presents she’d like, while encouraging her to support independent artists and designers (while nurturing her sense of individual style and fashion). And look out! It seems the girl is a mini-Miss Mischief, bringing attention to designers I could have only wished to have found myself!

One of my favorite designers she found is French designer Mathieu Missiaen’s shop THE RAGE, based out of Toronto. Missiaen takes vintage shoes (customized by your choice of size, heel height and color) and creates beautiful street-art and graffiti inspired works on the shoes. He designs them with oil-based paints and then varnishes them to ensure long-lasting design.

My niece is fond of the design Pick Me! (pink, featured on top), while good old Aunty Mischief much prefers Off the Air (pink, featured on bottom).

Another great designer my niece picked out is bag-maker Tinkerbelle; Tinkerbelle’s bags are brightly colored, vibrantly patterned, and pleasantly sized for younger bodies. Her favorite pic was this red flowers shoulder bag made with Marimekko fabric. The design is great for a young lady who may need to carry around house keys, a lip gloss or two, and maybe a couple of notebooks.

While my niece may be hard-pressed to find her aunt buying her heels before her 16th birthday (the year I promised her a pair), I love to see that she’s inheriting my sense of style.

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I know that Maptotes have been featured on a lot of blogs (just check out their press page for a list of notable mentions), so maybe you’ve already seen them mentioned somewhere else, but I just think they’re so fun that I couldn’t resist making a post about them.

Maptotes are simple cotton canvas tote bags that have been silkscreened with maps of various cities and neighborhoods.

They’re always adding new cities to the collection (I think there’s actually some new additions since I last checked the site), and most of the current cities come on either a white or a black tote. I’m hoping my two favorite cities in the world, New Orleans and London, are added soon! I know a NOLA Maptote would sell very well at the shops down here.

Image found on Flickr of maubrowncow’s San Francisco tote.

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I’m gearing up to head to NYC this weekend for the Etsy Trashion trunk show at Etsy Labs on Friday. So I was checking out the shops of some of my fellow street team members who will be there, and I stumbled across this super cute knitting girl tote by Miggipyn.

Made from a reclaimed cotton bag, this appliqued tote is perfect for hauling your yarns and knitting needles. (You know, if you’re actually coordinated enough to knit…personally, I suck at it. My stiches always get too tight! So I stick to sewing and embroidery.)

Miggipyn is participating in the Trashion team’s pre-trunk show sale, so if you like this one-of-a-kind item, now’s the time to snatch it up, for 15% off the $30 original price!

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