São Paulo – A small company in Porto Alegre, in Rio Grande do Sul state, wants to win the shop windows of the world with a new concept in production of handbags. Bag For Life was born little over one year ago to produce female handbags that bring together fashion and ecology. The collections are made out of raw materials that are ecologically correct and may be reused. "They are for culturally clarified consumers, concerned with the environment," says Gisele Petersen, one of the owners of Bag For Life.
It all began in late 2007 with an idea by business consultant and businesswoman Iva Maria Cardinal, aged 33. Another two women specialized in Consumer Fashion and Communications, Gisele, aged 37, in advertising, and Daniela Arruda, a 35-year-old lawyer, joined her early last year. From the three young entrepreneurs’ creative minds and concern with the environment came the collection, last year. Now, apart from growing on the domestic market, they plan to export.
The material used goes from banners to boat tarpaulins and raw cotton, produced without the use of pesticides. One of the lines of handbags, for example, Bem Brasil, is signed by eco-designer Karin Wilsmann and is made out of material recycled by the furniture industry. Another line, Old Navy, uses raw material like boat tarpaulins from Patagonia. Line ExMídia, in turn, has billboards as its input and Talvez Eu Seja is produced out of organic cotton. All the material is sanitised before use, recalls Gisele. Production is outsourced.
Bag For Life has already, incidentally, made a collection of tilapia leather handbags, developed in partnership with Tanara, a shoe and accessory brand belonging to Dakota. The leather obtained from tilapias, a kind of fish, is normally discarded into the river itself, causing pollution. As it is too small for use, it is usually discarded, explained Gisele. Now Bag For Life is working on another two partnerships, also with great brands in the sector. The names, however, cannot be disclosed while the projects are not completed.
Bag For Life was born during the Brazilian fever for recycled bags, the so-called ecobags. The company products, however, are not only recyclable bangs, but also "chic ecobags". The great differential is investment in design. The products are turned to the premium niche. The Crazy for Books model, for example, in line Talvez Eu Seja, costs 169 Brazilian reals (US$ 71). Model Âncora, in the Old Navy line, is sold for 368 reals (US$ 154), and the Matal Atlântica, in line Bem Brasil, for 535 reals (US$ 224).
For the time being, the bags are only traded on the company site and at the showroom, in Porto Alegre. The idea, however, is also to start exporting. Gisele believes that the route of exports should begin in Europe, due to the profile of local consumption. The businesswoman stated, however, that she is also interested in selling to other markets, like the Arab. Bag For Life is currently preparing its second collection.
Contact
Bag For Life
Site: www.bagforlife.com.br
Telephone: (+55 51) 3024 5645
*Translated by Mark Ament
