Handbag News and Information Blog from Henrietta's Handbags

Our Favorite Earth Friendly Handbags

2008-09-10T14:03:00.000-05:00

There are several companies that make handbags from recycled material and here are just a few of our favorites:

Vegan Queen - Really cute handbags in a sort of retro Louis Vuitton style (in my opinion) that have a slightly edgy feel to them! These bags are designed by a vegetarian and are made from natural rubber, PVC free polymer, nickel free zippers, and organic cotton terry for the lining. These bags can be found at http://www.veganqueen.com/

Matt and Nate - Each bag comes with a positive message that is on it's design and are all about vegan! One line of their handbags is made from recycled water bottles and the styles are very fresh and fun. These bags can be found at http://www.mattandnat.com/

Kim White - Kim's bags are made of reclaimed car upholstery from the 1970's and 1980's, as well as vintage fabrics used for furniture coverings from the 50's to the 1970's. My personal favorite, however, is the bag made from airline seat cover fabric! These bags are available at http://www.kimwhitehandbags.com/

At Henrietta's Handbags, we also care about the enviroment and have a full selection of market bags to carry your groceries and a full line of patterns for market bags that you can make yourself!

The Latest in Purse Design - Solar Purses

2008-08-22T11:47:00.000-05:00

Do you constantly forget your cell phone charger but never leave your purse behind? Then the latest invention may be just what you need - a solar purse that recharges your cell phone or an iPod!

A student at Iowa State University created this handy dandy handbag by using cells in the fabric and he is currently talking with potential distributors. There are some tradeoffs to this technique - the very fact that the solar panels are flexible make them more durable but less efficient. Testing is currently underway to see how fast the purses can recharge a phone or an iPod.

When this bag eventually reaches the market, the cost will be approximately $300 to $400.

New Handbag Designer Line MUXO

2008-08-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

Yet another celebrity has entered the realm of handbag designer - model Camila Alves whose main claim to fame seems to be having the baby of Matthew McConaughey. According to the press release, the word "Muxo" supposedly means "Goddess of the Water" in African (I'm not sure what language that is, exactly).

Each bag is handcrafted of Brazilian leather (Ms. Alves is originally from Brazil) and her partner is her mom who has a background in fashion design. I love rags to riches stories and this is one of the best - Ms. Alves came to this country and cleaned houses to make ends meet. She loves to travel and her bags reflect her love of New York and her love of her native country, Brazil.

These leather handbags range in price from $450.00 to $1,400.00 - no word yet on where they will be sold.

Templates To Design Your Own Handbags

2008-07-26T14:42:00.003-05:00

Clover Company has come up with a
new way for crafters to make and design their own handbags - plastic templates instead of paper patterns! So far there are 2 different templates - The City Collection (6 handbag designs) and The Town & Country (6 handbag designs).

Town & Country Collection

The designs available for the Town & Country Collection include the Suburban Bag, the Suburban Plus Bag, the Metro Bag, the Metro Plus Bag, the Cosmo Bag, and the Cosmo Plus Bag.

Designs available for the City Bag Collection are the Portfolio Bag, the Portfolio Plus Bag, the Savvy Bag, the Savvy Plus Bag, the Chic Bag, and the Chic Plus Bag.

City Bag Collection

Henrietta's Handbags is now offering these 2 templates for only $19.95 with free shipping in the USA and Canada.

E-Bay Will Appeal It's Conviction In French Court

2008-07-05T08:28:00.000-05:00

E-Bay has been fined almost 63 million dollars in a year and a half long case brought by Louis Vuitton, which accused the online auction business of selling fake handbags and perfume.

The French court decided that E-Bay had allowed the sale of fake Louise Vuitton handbags and issued a "cease and desist" order - if this order is not obeyed, E-Bay could face fines up to around $78,540 per day.

E-Bay says that they will definitely appeal the decision, saying that they did not infringe on any copyright law and that, in reality, Louis Vuitton is just trying to shut out any competition.

Another case was just recently lost by E-Bay, again in French court, when they were convicted of selling fake handbags by Hermes.

Handbags From Your Pet Hair

2008-06-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

Do you love your pet but hate the fact you find pet hair all over your house? Danelle German, the owner of The Catty Shack, a feline grooming and spa service in South Carolina, came up with the concept of turning that unwanted cat hair into custom made handbags.

The hair is spun into yarn and knitted into a one of a kind bag, made from your beloved pet's hair! The first step is collecting the hair and "carding" it, which means combing the fur in the same direction to prepare it for spinning. Bags take about 3-4 weeks to make.

Prices range from $45.00 to $300.00 and collection kits vary in price from $7.00 up to $78.00 and you are given instructions with these kits on how to best collect your pet's fur.

This would make a great gift for the person who loves their pet absolutely!

The Finished Handbag!

How To Recognize a Genuine Birkin Handbag

2008-06-05T07:41:00.000-05:00

A genuine Birkin handbag is a big investment and should be approached with care and knowledge - an accessory that can cost as much as $8,000.00 is not to be taken lightly!

Here are some signs that the Birkin bag you are interested in is real:

Look at the logo very carefully. The makers of the Birkin bag (Hermes) owns the font and the typeface and it is not easy for forgers to copy. Go to the Hermes site or, if it is available, a store that you know carries genuine Birkins and study the logo.

Feel the leather. The leather used in a Birkin is top quality and feels very rich and also has a distinctive leather smell.

Look at the stitching. All Birkins have what is called a "saddle" stitch which is created when two needles crisscross each other to form an "X" pattern. The purpose of this special stitch is so that, even if one stitch breaks, the handbag will not unravel.

Something that is much harder to see is that the thread used to sew the bag is coated in beeswax.

Birkin handbags are designed to last a lifetime and, if the bag you bought online as "genuine" falls apart, changes are it is not real.

New Purse Patterns at the Quilt Market

2008-05-21T11:49:00.000-05:00

StudioKat Designs - Kat and Henrietta

We just returned from the Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon and it was a total blast! This is where designers feature their latest quilt and purse pattern styles and there were lots of new patterns so we got to see a preview of coming attractions. We will be getting in these new patterns over the next month or so - stay tuned and check with us often!

I also got to spend some time with Kat from StudioKat Designs and actually got to see a lot of her patterns made up into the most gorgeous handbags! (Did you know that she has some purses for sale on her site made from her own designs?)

We also got to see some lovely quilts at the Quilt Market and took in some of the local sites in Portland - what a beautiful city! If you have never been there, I highly recommend the trip!

Holly Aiken's New Recycled Handbags

2008-05-02T08:14:00.000-05:00

Local handbag designer Holly Aiken is now making handbags from recycled banners from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. This limited edition line of bags and wallets are coming from outdoor banners and styles will include messenger bags, which sell for $88.00, and wallets, which will sell for $42.00.

These one-of-a-kind designs will be for sell at the museum's gift shop and are expected to go fast because of the local popularity of Holly Aiken. Banners used include advertisements for the Titanic, space, and dinosaur exhibits.

Handbags To Be Made From Juice Drink Boxes at Target

2008-04-16T14:47:00.000-05:00

In order to reduce local landfill sizes, a company called TerraCycle Partners is teaming up with Capri Sun and Honest Tea to reuse juice box drink containers as handbags, pencil cases, and other school supplies.

Participants will be paid 2 cents for each drink pouch they collect and schools are using this opportunity as a fund raiser. So far, 800 schools and other community groups have joined this program to help reduce landfill waste.

A staggering 4.6 billion fruit juice pouches end up in landfills every year because they are made of material that cannot be recycled. Target Stores will start carrying these handbags and other products made from the recycled containers in 2008.

To learn more about this program, go to TerraCycle.

Handbag Tantrum by Lindsay Lohan

2008-04-04T08:45:00.000-05:00

Just to show you that I am not above handbag gossip about celebrities, I want to share with you a total tantrum that Lindsay Lohan had when confronted with her rival Paris Hilton's line of handbags!

Ms. Lohan was hosting a Beverly Hills party sponsored by a prominent businessman and was to placidly walk down the red carpet. Little did she know that this event was also a promotional event to advertise Paris Hilton's handbag designs! When she saw the displays of Ms. Hilton's bags, she became incensed and demanded that the bag advertisements be removed before she would show herself. They were not and Ms. Lohan supposedly threw a fit in the kitchen.

Handcrafted Handbag Designer Specializing In Fun Fabrics

2008-03-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

Are you looking for an extra special handcrafted handbag that truly reflects your own personality? Then look no further than the handbag designs of Heidi, a unique designer who has her store on Etsy.

Heidi's work reflects a strong sense of fun with her use of retro inspired and Japanese print fabrics using her favorite materials such as cotton, linen, corduroy, and twill. Each handbag, tote, and zippered "buddy" bag show her love and ability to capture interesting combinations that will make your arm candy stand out from the crowd!

She will ship your items promptly and every purse is carefully packaged with a free little gift included. Also be sure to check out her sale page - my personal favorite is a "Zippy Buddy" made of Joel Dewberry's Green Aviary with matching green wood grain fabric for only $12.50.

Dog Purses Gaining in Popularity

2008-02-22T08:43:00.001-05:00

The latest thing is a "doggy purse" which has gained popularity due to celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson. These bags allow you to carry your small dog with you and has increased the desire for small size breeds like the Chihuahua and the Yorkshire terrier.

According to animal experts, this is really not a good practice and can actually cause trauma and distress to your dog. Their point is that animals are living, breathing creatures with needs and not just fashion accessories.

Companies buying into this fashion disaster include Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Gucci. If you love animals, a better solution are our quilted handbags and backpacks in cows, dashsunds, turtles, frogs, and giraffes!

The Ugliest Handbag in the World

2008-02-08T09:22:00.000-05:00

In my humble opinion, the ugliest handbag ever made was released in 2007 by Louis Vuitton. I know what you are thinking - how can such a savvy and successful handbag company make such a monstrousity? My answer is that maybe it was some sort of PR stunt - that is the only conceivable reason to release such a joke on the fashion conscious public.

The bag that has earned such drastic speech from me, a fanatical handbag lover, is the Louis Vuitton Patchwork Bag. This limited edition horror is made from 15 samples from their Spring/Summer cruise line series and all 24 sold out (at around $45,000 a pop) immediately. The individual bags themselves are really quite nice but mixing them all together? My only remaining comment is "What were they thinking?"

Vera Bradley Handbag News

2008-01-22T09:29:00.000-05:00

Vera Bradley handbags continues to expand their line of bags, as well as retiring older purses. Some of the coming retirements are the Little Travel Case, the Kensington Hobo bag, the Metro, and the Tie Tote. Retiring colors include the citrus, hope toile, piccadilly plum, and new hope.

Did you know that Vera Bradley bought the Baekgaard Collection back in 2003? This company was born about 50 years ago and was sold to Barbara Bradley, co-founder of Vera Bradley. The product line consists of quality travel cases in microfiber with leather trim and a signature check lining. Also included are colorful leather accessories such as eyeglass cases, passport holders, and jewelry boxes.

Some of the new handbag designs are the Super Tote, the Tall Zip Tote, and the Libby. Her newest fabrics consist of the Pink Elephant, and my personal favorite, the Yellow Bird.

The "Libby" in Yellow Bird fabric

Weak US Dollar Impacts Designer Handbags

2008-01-14T11:02:00.000-05:00

The weakening USA dollar is affecting consumers ability to buy designer handbags! If you try to purchase a Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, or Bottega Veneta designer bag online at luxury stores (Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, etc.), you are informed that they will not sell you more than 3 handbags every 30 days.

The rationale behind this policy is that foreign buyers will take advantage of the weakened US dollar against the Euro and buy designer bags to sell in Europe or Asia. For example, someone could buy a Yves Saint Laurent Downtown handbag at $1,495 each. These same bags sell for about $1,796 in London.

It is not acceptable to handbag companies to have additional bags for sale competing with them because they are trying to break into European markets by opening expensive new stores. If entrepreneurs are buying the bags in America and selling in competition with these new stores with better pricing, why shop the expensive designer boutique?

This policy of limiting purchases is now happening not only online, but in stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue. The purchases are being reviewed on a case-by-case bases and, if there is any question, the buyer is limited in how many bags they may buy.

None of the designer handbag companies would speak on the record about this new policy.

Louis Vuitton Loses Court Case

2008-01-04T07:42:00.000-05:00

A federal court case was just recently lost by Louis Vuitton, the luxury designer handbag giant. The French corporation brought a suit against a Nevada company called "Haute Diggity Dog" (I'm not making this up!), who Louis Vuitton claimed infringed on their trademark handbag.

This upstart Nevada company makes a line of dog toys they call "Chewy Vuiton" that sells in pet stores for about $20. The toy has the well know monogram except instead of "LV" it reads "CV" and is in the shape of a handbag.

The toy is obviously a parody of Louis Vuitton but the key question the judge asked was could one be mistaken for the other? The somewhat obvious answer is a resounding "no"! To me, the question is does anyone have a sense of humor anymore or are they so intent on making money that common sense has gone out the door?

Police Step Up Efforts Against Counterfeit Handbag Smugglers

2007-12-10T07:25:00.000-05:00

Did you know that in the state of Florida if you knowingly buy a fake handbag you can be arrested? I think this would be a very hard case to prove - unless someone says to a witness "I just bought the most lovely fake Louis Vuitton!"

On a side note, the counterfeiters are out in full force (or else the cops are being even more vigilant) for the holiday season. There was a huge bust at a flea market in Coral Springs, Florida where undercover agents bought fake Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Coach, Prada, and Kate Spade handbags. Over a million dollars worth of goods were confiscated.

The seller was warned with a "Cease and Desist" order but he ignored the paperwork and continued selling. He also refused to say where he got the illegal handbags and faces up to 5 years in jail for every counterfeit brand that he sold.

Another huge bust happened 4 days ago at the port of Newark, New Jersey. Fake handbags made in China were being smuggled into the country in boxes labeled "noodles". This arrest was based on an undercover sting operation where agents posed as corrupt custom officials and were bribed with more than $500,000 in US currency. Estimates are that the counterfeit goods were worth around 200 million dollars and each defendant in this case faces a possible 35 years in jail.

Facts About Leather Handbags

2007-12-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Did you know that, when an advertisement says that a handbag is patent, that does not necessarily mean that it is patent leather? Some vinyl bags that say they are patent are sprayed with a lacquer coating that makes it thicker and a lot less flexible than genuine patent leather.

A quality leather bag is made from drum-dyed and supple leather with color that goes all the way through instead of just on the top layer. To tell if the leather is quality, a scratch mark will not be lighter in color than the rest of the bag.

Genuine leather bags can vary in consistency - this comes from drum-dyeing and these marks are not flaws, just a sign for the educated consumer that the handbag is high quality leather.

More expensive designer bags are usually finished by hand with makes the purse more flexible. Silk linings, hardware, and, of course, brand names add to your price but a good handbag can last forever!

Handbags Made From Recycled PVC Banners

2007-11-20T07:25:00.000-05:00

More and more people are becoming concerned about the environment and now, if you love handbags as well, you have a way to show your commitment to planet earth.

Recycling has come full circle with the founding of a new company called Retroactif that makes handbags from PVC banners used in advertising. These banners are made of non-biodegradable material because they must withstand weather conditions and are just thrown away after serving their usefulness. The banners are, instead of being thrown away, are rescued from the landfill and made into totes, hobo bags, and messenger bags.

There are currently 60 stores worldwide and prices range from $12.00 to $75.00. For more information, check out http://www.retroactif.net/

Recycled Handbags Help The Planet

2007-11-09T15:59:00.000-05:00

People are now beginning to think about the earth and our renewable resources and handbag designers are no exception! "Green" bags are coming into their own with such companies as Eco Bags, Envirotote, Baggu Bags, and, my personal favorite, Nigels Eco Store.

Have you ever stopped to wonder about what happens to your plastic grocery bags if they are thrown away? Statistics show that people make 2.3 trips to the grocery store and get 5 to 10 bags each time. That adds up to 40 billion bags per year! These plastic bags are not biodegradable and degrade into small toxic pieces that can take as long as a 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill.

The handbags available at Nigel's Eco Store, in addition to being made of recycled materials, are processed by ragpickers in the slums of New Delhi and laminated into sheets, which are sewn together. This store also has recycled handbags made of juice cartons and come in a variety of styles.

Do your part for the environment and, instead of getting plastic grocery bags the next time you are at the store, bring your own recycled bags and help save our planet!

The History of Evening Bags

2007-11-04T08:20:00.000-05:00

Evening bags actually got their start as a coin purse hung from a girdle around the waist. The thing that differentiates the evening bag from a regular handbag is that evening bags have always had a certain status appeal and do not take into consideration practicality.

In the 13th and 14th century, evening bags were pieced together from beautiful and elaborate wall hangings, rich with embroidery, and also vestments from religious clothing. Another influence for the evening bag was a small pouch wore at the waist of a rich lady where she would keep alms for the poor. This bag marked her as a high status person who was "showing off" by carrying around money for those less fortunate than herself. The more elaborate the bag, the wealthier the lady.

During the time of Queen Elizabeth (1558-1603), evening bags were crocheted into the shapes of clusters of grapes and animals such as frogs.
During the 17th century, gaming bags became popular for both men and women. These bags had symbols involving thrift and sayings of the day. The gaming bags were used to carry winnings from games the well-to-do played with each other.

As women started to carry around more for the evening (fans, perfumes, and calling cards), bags needed to get bigger and silk knotted bags were used. This trend, however, did not last long and smaller (and more feminine) bag once again became de rigeur for the elegant lady.
The origins of the evening bag would not be complete with mentioning the reticule bag that was first carried by the empress Josephine and soon taken up by ladies of the court and then the countryside.

Fabric Choices For Your New Handbag

2007-10-28T07:08:00.000-05:00

Do you know the differences between the types of fabric when shopping for material to make a new fabric handbag? It's very important to choose with care in order for your handbag to give you years of wear!
Pay careful attention to cleaning instructions. If you will be carrying your bag often, choose fabrics that are easy care.

Fabric Choices and Their Care
Cotton - You will have a great selection if you choose cotton because of the array of different colors. This material is very easy to cut and piece so it lends itself beautifully to quilting. It is best to pre-wash your fabric ( usually machine wash) and to use a stabilizer to give your handbag shape. This material makes a nice (and colorful!) fabric handbag.
Silk - I do not recommend silk as a general rule for handbag construction. It is too unstable and there is a possibility of easy staining. This fabric usually must be dry-cleaned.
Linen - Linen has a loose weave and wrinkles easily. It is very important to use a good stabilizer for this fabric. Dry-cleaning is recommended.
Tapestry - This is my favorite material to use in the construction of fabric handbags. The bag will usually hold up very well and the nature of the fabrics allows for beautiful colors. The weave is loose so one must be careful at the seams and make sure all layers of fabric are caught when sewing - otherwise you may have a problem with fraying.
Velvet - This fabric has a directional nap to it. When cutting the pattern pieces for your handbag, all pieces must be cut facing the same direction. Never press velvet; if it needs ironing, press on the wrong side. Dry-clean only.
Faux Fur - There is a nap to faux fur and all pattern pieces must be cut in the same direction. I have found this fabric to be difficult to work with but it adds nice texture to your fabric handbag. Spot clean only.
Leather - Leather is made from animal skin and you usually need special equipment to make a handbag from this material. I recommend professional cleaning to be safe.
Ultrasuede - This is a non-woven fabric that looks and feels like suede but is washable. The advantage of this material for handbag construction is that it does not ravel. It is completely washable and makes a very high quality looking fabric handbag.

If you choose carefully, you will have many years to enjoy your new handbag!

Handbag Artist Laurel Burch Dies

2007-10-20T07:10:00.000-05:00

Famous artist and entrepreneur Laurel Burch passed away on September 13, 2007 in her home at the age of 61. This talented and gentle spirit parlayed her rich, spiritual, and colorful inner life into mythical dogs, cats, and other animals starting around the age of 20 in San Francisco.

She began making unusual necklaces to help support her daughter and this began her journey to the creation of Laurel Burch Artworks, a multimillion dollar company. Her life was not easy, starting with a dysfunctional home life and a diagnosis of osteopetrosis, a rare bone disease that causes bones to become dense and brittle. This leads to an increased risk of fracture and Ms. Burch suffered frequent hospitalizations as well as becoming wheelchair and also bed bound on different occasions throughout her life.

She persevered and marched through these nightmare times with an inner beauty and gentle soul that showed in everything she did. I had the good fortune to exchange a few e-mails with her and the aura of her love for life was palpable and radiated a unique aura of peace and calm.

Her work will continue through her son, Jay, who will be running the company. The world, however, is a sadder place without the presence of Ms. Burch - May she rest in peace.

The World's Largest Handbag Museum

2007-10-13T06:30:00.000-05:00

The world's largest handbag museum is located in Amsterdam and began as a collection started by the museum's manger's mother, Hendrikje. This collection now includes about 3,500 handbags, ranging from pouches worn in the Middle Ages to current Designer bags.

The Amsterdam Tassen Museum is one of only 3 museums devoted to handbags in the world and the history of the bag parallels the evolution of mankind and reflects the era of it's creation. Bags are exhibited ranging from a simple goatskin bag worn hanging from the belt to adorned and beaded bags carried by rich ladies to show off their wealth and status.

Would you like more information? Check out the museum's website!