It may be woefully in conflict with the politically correct party line for me to admit this, but I really don’t like the majority of the “eco-friendly” bags that I’ve seen. I love the idea, and I think it’s great that more designers are trying to do things that are positive for the environment, but I don’t think the trend has come far enough for it to be regularly producing bags that rank up there with traditional brands. I have found one brand that I really, really like, however: Mad Imports.
They’ve made a bag or two that I don’t like, but I’m in love with most of their collection. My most recent object of affection is the Mad Imports Opal Applique Clutch. It’s hard to combine so many colors in one bag without creating some serious problems, but these colors were picked well and go together beautifully. The natural-colored straw provides enough of a neutral backdrop for the sunny hues and the large, wooden oval on the closure provides a focal point to center the design. The bag also comes in solid olive green and magenta if you’re not in to the stripes, but I think the color combination is the way to go. Buy through Nordstrom for $88.
It’s definitely cuter than your average eco-bag. I like the stripes, too. They remind me of summer.