Like many of my friends, I try to do my part to keep the Earth green. I’m a conscientious recycler, I shop online to cut down on beaucoup trips to the mall, and I own a Littlearth Classic Fender handbag. Actually, I own two and I may have to get a third because I think they are absolutely adorable. Kind of put-the-pedal-to-the-metal funky, if you know what I mean.
I am definitely not alone and, in very good company apparently. Jay Leno, Brooke Shields and members of the Van Halen have purchased Littlearth products. Oprah Winfrey featured the bags on her show and they have been spotted on ER, Melrose Place, Party of Five and MTV. Company sales were estimated at about $4 million in 2005 and have mushroomed 60 percent during the past five years. Not bad for a company that started out in a Pittsburgh basement in 1993.
The brainchild of married partners, Robert Brandegee and Ava DeMarco, Littlearth began as a project in an entrepreneurship class attended by Brandegee. The couple, with a background in design and marketing, thought it would be cool to produce something trendy and fashionable out of recycled materials. They initially produced their license plate, hubcap and recycled tire rubber purses in the basement of their home but soon the number of orders forced them to move the company from the subterranean space into larger quarters.
Today more than 40 employees produce the company’s line of recycled accessories which include handbags, photo and CD wallets, belts and key chains made from recycled hubcaps, bottle caps and license plates which adds up to 40,000 plates, 30 tons of rubber and 250,000 bottlecaps just last year. Their socially responsible company philosophy extends to their work force too, as many of their employees are former welfare recipients as well as immigrants, some political refugees, from third world countries.
I love the classic Fender and Cyclone styles the best but if you feel you just need a bit more bling than the standard Littlearth fare, how about grabbing a Littlearth Designer Fenderflair bag embellished with hundreds of Swarovski crystals. Now, that’s a bit of self-indulgence we can all feel good about.
Technorati Tags: little earth handbags, eco friendly handbags
November 5th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
I must say first hand, these purses are absolutely amazing! I bought mine a few months ago online from flicker90.com and have been waiting til I save up again to buy more. I ended up with the True Love Fender and it’s one of my prize possessions now to say the least.