Fibre Arts: This Bag's for You
At the Fibre Arts Design Studio in Palo Alto, Calif., the motto that runs through the creative space is endemic to the business:“Designs for a Greener World.”
A greener world at the studio means devising environmentally friendly designs for furniture, homes and commercial buildings. But studio founder and Chief Executive Wo Schiffman never envisioned including handbags in her mix of green products—not until a close relative was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer in late 2005 and needed a lightweight handbag that was ergonomically correct. Schiffman couldn’t find one. “I knew little about handbag design at the time,” Schiffman recalled. “I was not sure I wanted to get into the bag thing.”
But she did, taking 18 months to focus on her design sketches, the history of the handbag, and how men and women carry their bags. “I came to the conclusion that there have been a lot of beautifully designed bags in the last 800 years. But not too many have gone into the process of designing a bag and thinking about how the weight is distributed or thinking about the ergonomics and the connection of the bag to the earth,” Schiffman explained.
At the beginning, her handbags had no hardware, such as zippers and rings. But that has gradually changed as she has found recycled zippers.
Schiffman debuted her bags in early 2010 at the San Francisco International Gift Fair and later at several other trade shows, including the WSA shoe show in Las Vegas last August. That is when Schiffman received her first substantial retail order.
The collections are composed of several styles and designs made in the United States of eco-friendly and organic material such as faux fur, recycled leather, cotton, bamboo, hemp, industrial wool felt and recycled materials. Most of the purses are 15 percent to 30 percent the weight of other purses found on the market, Schiffman said.
Two collections are produced each year. Wholesale prices range from $23 to $125.
Some of the styles include the “Eva,” which looks like an oversized Chinese fortune cookie but is a reversible wristlet handbag made of organic cotton, eco-friendly faux leather and industrial felt. The “Jaja” is a sophisticated and feminine clutch with ruched silk taffeta and an optional chiffon rose embellishment. The “Swag”—made of recycled cotton/hemp, faux leather and industrial felt—is designed to hold a tablet or electronic pad. With an adjustable linen strap, the bag can be worn cross body or on the shoulder. Remove the strap to use the bag as a tablet case or clutch. The “Sashi” is one the largest handbags in the group and looks like a big tote. It is made of faux leather, hemp and industrial felt.
The bags have been picked up by a number of specialty stores and museum gift shops across the country, many concerned about carrying eco-friendly products. “We view the process of designing handbags from the idea of a specific design all the way to the delivery to the retailer,” Schiffman said. “Each step is an opportunity for ecological responsibility.”
For more information on the Fibre Arts Design bags, call (650) 485-2121 or visit www.fibreartsdesign.com.—Deborah Belgum
