Marty Stevens-Heebner calls it “the next evolution in style,” and one may certainly hope so. The rich hues, eye-popping weaves, and fanciful graphics of her Rebagz eco-chic handbags make a statement in themselves- and the story of how they’re made adds depth to the fun, as does knowing that part of the proceeds are going to good causes.
And Stevens-Heebner is having fun. Her design firm, Half the Sky Designs, won a Best Small Business in California award in 2009, her work has been featured in numerous magazines, and a growing roster of A-list celebrities are rockin’ Rebagz. “We don’t think you need to shout and scream to change the world,” is the refreshing sentiment on the Rebagz website (www.rebagz.com). “Rock it with style instead.”
Indeed.
How did you happen to choose the materials used in Rebagz?
I'd made some of my handbag samples using more traditional fabrics, but when I found an organization that was working with this amazing weave made from vibrant recycled juice packs, I was hooked. There's also been a long history of clothing made from sacks used for various things and there were already some bags made from recycled rice sacks coming out of India, Thailand and Cambodia. So I started going to the local markets around Manila and discovered that a number of Philippine rice sacks are really quite beautiful. We had to start from absolute scratch - I was the crazy American who wanted to buy the empty sacks of rice, not the full ones - but now we've set up a network for recycling the sacks.
Your bags are manufactured by a women's collective in the Phillipines. Could you tell us a bit about how you found them and how they operate? And how hard will it be for them to attain Fair Trade status- what's involved in that?
Our Juicy Hand Woven bags are made the women's collective you mention, which sadly was wiped out by the recent typhoons that struck Manila. They should be up and running again within 4 weeks or so, but that storm was very cruel to them. I found them at a local trade show in Manila the first time I went to visit there in March 2007. I literally turned a corner and saw this booth exploding with color. I can't describe the thrill I felt.
They're in the process of applying to the Asian arm of the World Fair Trade Organization. It's a long process because there are a number of forms to fill out and inspections that have to be made, and I'm afraid with the damage they've sustained, that process may be take even longer.
Is it your feeling that eco-chic is becoming the New Chic? Are people who can afford whatever they want increasingly deciding they want green- and will green chic be affordable for the rest of us?
I think people are finally becoming more concerned about not only what the products they buy are made from but also about who makes them and how those workers are treated. We call ourselves an eco- and human-friendly business, because I don't think you can call yourself eco-friendly without taking care of the people who make your product. As a consultant and as a businesswoman, one of my goals is to encourage other entrepreneurs to engage in these kinds of business practices. I truly believe it's the 21st-century way of doing business.
Our handbags cost more than those made by people earning slave wages and that are made from cheap materials in places like China and India. Then again, our quality is superior to those other bags because the workers making them feel safe and valued. Happy workers make better products!
That said, our prices are excellent for the quality of both our designs and workmanship. We keep our margins reasonable because I like to generate volume - because that creates more jobs both here and abroad.
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