Human trafficking is lurking around every corner. It’s a threat we hear about, but may not always see or experience firsthand. Don’t let the lack of personal impact fool you, however, because the industry is real and it’s frightening–just ask Lia Valerio, co-founder of Malia Designs and creator of Stop Traffick, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed to raise awareness and stop the trafficking of women and children around the world.

After serving in the Peace Corps in the South Pacific Valerio “fell in love with Cambodia,” and says despite the tragedy the country had been faced with, “their warmth and openness was and always has been a source of inspiration.”

Valerio’s initial trip introduced her to the country’s textiles, as well as various fair trade organizations helping denigrated groups earn and retain income. Inspired by what she learned, Valerio teamed up with best friend and former business partner Maria Forres Opdycke to come up with a way to import goods from Cambodia and support the causes of these organizations.

Fuelled by their “love for travel and a desire to create a business that was socially responsible, sustainable, and mission based,” in 2005, with absolutely zero “real fashion experience,” Malia (Lia + Maria) Designs was formed.

Deeply impacted by the human trafficking she witnessed while in Cambodia, eradicating the ravages of this multibillion dollar industry became the heartbeat of their business. “We formed Malia with the belief that one way to counteract this global issue is to increase access to economic opportunity in the most affected areas,” Valerio says. Although Opdycke has moved on from Malia Designs, Valerio credits the current co-owner and marketing director, Lucia Ruth, for continuing to keep the dream alive.

Employing primarily at-risk women and disabled workers who have been affected by polio or land mines, Malia Designs is helping to provide normalcy to individuals otherwise stigmatized due to their disability. She’s proud to be “providing secure and stable employment to some of the most marginalized,” while also creating a true sense of community among the employees. Offering mentorship and other resources for the artisans and their families, has become “a true culture of empowerment.”

“By providing an alternative source of income for marginalized women, Malia Designs can lessen the likelihood that these women will be re-victimized or become victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation or Trafficking.,” says Valerio. “Not only does this transform the lives of these women, but their children as well. Since the very beginning, our primary mission has been to provide this source of income to our artisan partners—lessening their vulnerability and empowering them to break the cycle of poverty.”

The philanthropic branch of Malia Designs, Stop Traffick, was created as “a grassroots effort to raise awareness and funds for the fight against Human Trafficking in Cambodia and Chicago.” Since 2009, four years after the business was formed, the non-profit organization has held a yearly fundraiser in an effort to raise money for worthy organizations that aid trafficking victims in the areas mentioned.

Among those organizations are Damnok Toek a Cambodian NGO. Valerio describes them as being Cambodian run and focused on working with vulnerable children and their families. “They run amazing programs at a very grass roots level and over 1,500 children benefit from these programs on a daily basis,” says Valerio.

In addition to fighting for a worthy cause, the entirely handmade accessory and handbag business also relies heavily on sustainability. Slow, fair-trade production is where the focus lies. Like the product designs themselves, the process is organic. Local to the region of production, Valerio says “almost all of the materials we work with are recycled or upcycled.”

Sharing details about the unique textiles, Valerio says, “We work with recycled feed bags that previously held a grain that is fed to farmed fish, recycled cement bags that are so pervasive they line the streets of Phnom Penh, and the base materials for our screen print line are up-cycled out of the leftover or end-of-bolt fabric from the garment factories in Cambodia.”

Manufacturing handbags, wallets, scarves, belts, aprons, and more, the accessories are not only friendly to humans and the environment, but they’re attractive and practical, too. Ranging from boho to contemporary, her designs appeal to a range of customers, with bags that are perfect for all seasons.

Valerio recommends the screen print line for fall. Customer favorites include the large and small messenger bags, as well as the new dragon print and release of the highly anticipated backpack. Whether you prefer the signature elephant pattern, or the cement bag collection, featuring durable and water resistant materials perfect for wintry or rainy conditions, you simply can’t go wrong when the products are as beautiful as the cause they support.

Related on EcoSalon

Efua Mensa-Brown: Ending Human Trafficking, One Dress at a Time
LA’s 3rd Annual Fair Trade Fashion Show Tackles Slavery and Human Trafficking
The #LetNoorShine Campaign Combines Clothing and Activism to End Human Trafficking

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The purse essentials for paring down your bag (you know, without freaking out).

Are you like me? Every year, it seems I choose a bigger and bigger handbag. At this point, I am carrying around an overnight bag as a purse, and that’s clearly just too big.

The problem: I take the motto “always be prepared” to heart and my bag contains items for every possible scenario from getting a headache to surviving the zombie apocalypse. Clearly I have some wiggle room for downsizing my purse essentials (and a smaller bag is easier to tote on the run from zombies, no?) After suffering through a year of neck issues, visiting both the chiropractor and going to physical therapy to solve the problem, I think I might have finally caught on–I’m carrying around too much stuff in my giant bag.

With the trend on decluttering, downsizing, and choosing to live a more streamlined and less consumerist existence, why are so many of us still carrying around such big purses and bags?The purse may be the last great frontier for downsizing, but it’s possible to get down to just the essentials in your purse. If I can do it, you can do it. Here’s a list of what I consider to be the purse essentials necessary for everyday life. My bag might not function as a “go bag” for the zombie apocalypse anymore, but I think that’s okay.

What Are the Purse Essentials?

1. Wallet

A wallet is a necessity to hold your cash, cards, checks, receipts, and more. Ideally, choose one with multiple sections and compartments to keep you organized and more portable. I use a wallet that doubles a clutch and has a compartment for my phone that allows me the flexibility of not schlepping around my whole bag.

2. Makeup Bag

Those who wear makeup often find that they are carrying around too much makeup. Trim down to one make-up bag to just the bare necessities, like a powder compact, lip gloss, and mascara. I use the bags from Blue Q as makeup bags. They are fun and functional.

3. Self-Care, Toiletries, and Mending Bag

Keep another small bag for hair-ties, travel bottles of hand lotion, bobby pins, a nail file, band-aids, your pain reliever of choice, mints, a contact case, packet of tissues, a mending kit, and tampons, pads, or menstrual cup case if needed.

4. Glasses/Sunglasses

You must have sunnies. And a case to protect them is a must too. If you wear contacts or glasses, keep a backup case and travel-sized contact solutions in your bag too. You must be able to see. That is essential!

5. Phone/Case/Earbuds

Keep your phone in handy in a side pocket in your bag in a protective case. Also, keep earbuds handy for when you want to tune people out while at the grocery store or at the gym.

6. Keys

Of course, you must carry your keys in your bag, but do you really need all those keys? Pare them down to the absolute essential keys. Get rid of all those keys you have no idea what they belong to–if you haven’t needed them in 4 years, then it’s safe to say you never will.

Related on EcoSalon

Our Top Picks for Your Spring Makeup Bag

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Image: Burgundy Bag via Shutterstock

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Add one (or all) of these quirky fashion bags to your closet.

Whether you call them bags, purses, handbags, or what have you, some of us just aren’t into the whole “designer” fashion bag thing. It isn’t that we don’t like making a statement with our choice of bag, but we don’t want that statement to be how much money we spent (or wasted, depending on your point of view). Instead, we prefer to show off our quirky, one-of-a-kind style with offbeat fashion bags. Just think of us as the quirky Andie Walsh from “Pretty in Pink” and if you don’t know who that is–go watch the movie immediately!

Whether you are into vintage leather, prefer cruelty-free, desire making an artistic statement, or just love interesting forms and functions, there’s a bag for you on on this list of quirky fashion bags.

Offbeat & Quirky Fashion Bags

1. Wooden Fashion Bag – Made to order handmade wooden bag in oak, mahogany, leather,  and cork. This pretty and functional design is inspired by furniture design.

2. Leopard Oversized Handbag – Oversized bag with a different take on an iconic print, but with a quirky, modern twist. From Little Moose.

3. Bold Leather Tote – Get bold with this one-off patchwork black and Champagne gold leather tote from Flowie.

4. Chevron Olivia Bag – One-of-a-kind chevron striped fabric bag for those who want to forego leather. It’s handmade in Italy.

5. Nikki McCLure Mushroom Tote – Wear a bit of art on your arm with this unique mushroom art bag from artist Nikki McClure. It’s printed on 100% recycled fabric.

6. Initial Clutch – Go big on style or just don’t play with this navy and bright yellow patent leather clutch. Handmade in the UK by French & English Confectioners.

7. Nutkin Squirrel Handbag – This fabric shoulder bag is totally adorkable. From Little Odd Forest.

8. Cat Bag – Show off your inner crazy cat lady with this felted handbag.

9. Round Shoulder Bag – If you are into interesting forms, try this cocoon or pod-like leather cross body bag in nude leather. You will not run into anyone else who has this bag!

10. Fold Over Clutch – We really love this wool and leather oversized foldover clutch bag from Vital Temptation in Brooklyn.

11. Vinyl Clutch – Choose your color and choose your style with these vinyl clutches from MeDusaBrandfrom Tel Aviv.

Related on EcoSalon

The Ultimate List of Sustainable Handbag Designers (From A-Z)

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Image: Young Woman With Bag via Shutterstock

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Every woman wants to feel sexy and desirable, but should we really be defined by our handbags? Here are 9 reasons to stop carrying those logo-covered, designer handbags.

1. Ladies, let’s be honest, these handbags are ubiquitous. Everyone seems to have one these days! Do you really want to look like everyone else? They just aren’t that original, nor are they exclusive. There’s nothing unique about luxury goods sold by large multibillion dollar corporations focused on growth, brand visibility, awareness, and profits (how do you think they buy those full-page glossy advertisements in the fashion mags like Vogue?).

2. Is it really necessary to spend $1000 on a handbag? Really? This is a bag that’s thrown over your shoulder, and on the floor of a subway or a restaurant (and probably its bathroom), the movie theater, or the bar where soda, coffee, alcohol and who knows what else has been spilled, only to stain that expensive purse. As you get older and wiser, someday you’ll look back and ask: “Why did I spend all that $$$$ on those ridiculous designer handbags when I could have put it towards my kids college tuition, or invested it, or taken a trip of a lifetime?”

3. The replicas coming out of China are so good, no one can tell the difference between the real ones and fake ones! So, why bother with the expensive real one when people will probably think it’s just a cheap knock-off in the first place?

4. Flashy, luxury items are out. Subtlety and an understated lifestyle are in as the new face of luxury.

5. Thanks to award winning journalist, Dana Thomas, who called Louis Vuitton “the McDonald’s of the luxury industry” in her book, “Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster,” the bags are now a running joke among top fashion industry designers because they’re so common these days.

6. Conspicuous consumerism is out. Saving is in.

7. Smart luxury consumers are tired of the logo-covered standbys because they are so 1999. Their taste has become more discriminating and they aren’t buying them anymore. How many handbags do you really need, anyway? Collecting more stuff is out. Collecting luxury experiences, though, is in.

8. Sorry ladies, carrying an expensive bag does not mean ‘you’ve arrived’ or are superior. Do you really believe that carrying an expensive handbag will deter other women from hitting on your man? (One study says this is true. Really?). Come on ladies you have more self-confidence than that!

9.  Let’s face it: oversize handbags don’t impress men. Women carry them to impress other women. When men see a woman carrying an oversized, expensive hand bag, they simply wonder and chuckle, “Is that an overnight bag she’s carrying?” And by the way, have you ever noticed that carrying oversize handbags hurts?! The weight starts to hurt your neck, shoulders and back!

Lesson: Feeling fabulous and desirable doesn’t come from a status symbol. Too many women make the mistake of entering a room with her handbag first, instead of leading with her gorgeous, confident self, with the bag in tow.

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 Image credit: wavelab.be

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Pythons, lizards and crocs, oh my! Accessories made of exotic skins have never been hotter. But for those of us who refuse to wear the real thing, this trend leaves us cold. And when the alternative is an embossed plastic “snakeskin” bag of questionable origin destined to become landfill fodder, well… What’s a girl to do? Raven Kauffman has the answer.

LA-based designer Raven Kauffman,whose bewitching couture clutches have been spotted in the hands of Drew Barrymore, Dita von Teese and current Oscar nominee Amy Adams, has created a line of luxe faux-skin accessories that are completely swoon-worthy. And they’re vegan. Not only are they eco-friendly, they are also sustainable; Kauffman’s Everyday Exotics are investment-quality pieces that, unlike their poorly constructed fast-fashion counterparts, will stand the test of time in both style and craftsmanship.

“The Everyday Exotics line came about 4 years into my life as a handbag designer”, Raven says, “I knew that Stella McCartney had a strong following for her vegan bags, which have a certain elegance and sophistication to them. I love the look of exotic hides, but never felt comfortable working with them personally. Any fake crocodile or snake that I had seen up until this point was pretty cheap looking. It was as though the manufacturers had to overcompensate for the fact that it was fake by making it crazy colors and adding tons of cheap hardware. I saw making the Everyday Exotics material as a challenge to bring true sophistication to the vegan market, and give the consumer something very special and unique that they could only get if they bought a VERY expensive real exotic skin bag.”

Looking back, it makes perfect sense that Raven Kauffman would produce designs that showcase the intricate beauty of exotic animal skins with absolute reverence for the creatures themselves. Her childhood was a charmed one: her mother, a biochemist, cultivated and curated orchids in a 20,000 square foot greenhouse at their 1703 Pennsylvania farmhouse and her father was a clothing designer who later delved into historic preservation. Kauffman spent her days experimenting with beautiful colored pencils and watercolors, tending to farm animals, collecting tadpoles and other squirmy specimen from their pond (and placing the little stowaways in Mason jars underneath her bed) learning romance languages and relishing in a Waldorf education on a nearby dairy farm.

Inspired by scattered glimpses of Jacques Cousteau on NOVA, Kauffman wanted to be a marine biologist when she grew up, even studying bio-chemistry at Cornell (though she was offered a scholarship to study metalsmithing and jewelry making at Vassar). She designs in a way that exhibits a heightened sensitivity and understanding of nature–she approaches her work with the head of a scientist and the heart of an artist.

“The rubber ‘skins’ are cast and finished by hand by a team of skilled artisans, and the finishing process is similar to what is used in the very high end leather industry,” she says. “The attention to detail and the amount of labor that goes into every piece is astounding – sometimes 12 individual processes happen for certain colors and finishes, and no two skins are exactly alike.”

Aside from runway-ready clutches and shoulder bags in supple faux crocodile and python, the Everyday Exotics line also includes sculptural cuff bracelets made from reclaimed brass.  “The process of making the jewelry goes right back to my early love of metal smithing… Also, after I met the husband and wife team behind the business that casts them for me, I was in love and had to find a way to work with them. The luster that they are able to achieve on their pieces is astounding. No plating is involved, so the environmental impact is very minimal.”

The success of Everday Exotics has encouraged Raven Kauffman toward expansion–she’s currently experimenting with reclaimed woods and stone veneers. The focus remains on quality, no matter what the medium: “I think about making objects that are heirlooms and less disposable so that I can leave less waste behind for my children to contend with,” says Kauffman. “I’m tired of the theory that you can only build a big commercially successful brand if you take your manufacturing overseas. I see myself being a big part of this movement of bringing creativity back to the U.S. .manufacturing scene.”

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Photo credits:  Raven Kauffman, The Examiner (red clutch)

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Italian fashion label Pinko teams up with Fashion for Development (F4D) to nurture artisan traditions and develop economic independence in Ethiopia.

Pinko’s most recent fashion foray was initiated by Italian ethical fashion ambassadress Marina Spadafora, who collaborated with the label to create a collection of ethnically designed handbags. Spadafora’s inspiration came from the lively body painting traditions of the Omo Valley people in southern Ethiopia, which she discovered through Hans Silverster’s photography of the area. The result of her work is a refreshing take on the tribal trend in the form of tote bags and sweatshirts handmade from 100 percent African cotton.

Showcased at Milan Fashion Week in February and launched for sale at the beginning of May, the Pinko Bag for Ethiopia collection comprises six Ethiopian versions of the signature Pinko Bag, alongside 3 sweatshirts. More than 100 Ethiopian women crafted the eco-friendly cotton bags and apparel at a sustainable factory in Addis Ababa. These women are acting as the cultural caretakers of a national tradition, and sharing the beauty of the body painting traditions amongst the Omo Valley people.

Several tribes have lived along the Omo River for millennia, and have always practiced the art of body painting. The tribal people use natural pigments for imaginative and instinctive body-adornment that is inspired by the surrounding flora and fauna. The results provide striking visual effects that celebrate the creativity of each individual. The Pinko Bag for Ethiopia collection showcases this impressive resourcefulness to a wider audience in the form of an accessible and responsibly manufactured product.

This project and collection was realized through efforts from Fashion for Development (F4D): a global awareness project that has been working to create opportunities for development and economic integrity in third world countries through the medium of fashion. The organization pays particular attention to women as underprivileged members in several of these countries, employing them in tasks that restore the native handcrafting skills of certain regions. The initiative is backed by the United Nations and works with other fashion brands such as Carmina Campus, Tanzina Rab and Alexandra Taylor.

Images: Pinko, Marc Veraart

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Leslie Oschmann gives vintage oil paintings a new life on your shoulder.

Some deem fashion a form of art in itself, but fashion and art blend in the most seamless way when it comes to Leslie Oschmann’s Swarm handbags. She uses vintage oil paintings to create exquisite and colorful bag designs that are full of personality and bits of nostalgia, offering unique arm candy that is given another chance to prove its worth and beauty.

Leslie began experimenting with the re-purposing of oil paintings upon moving to Holland after 8 years as the visual director of Anthropologie.  She first applied the vintage oil paintings scavenged at antique markets for decorating chairs and other furniture such reclaimed dressers and lampshades.

Through handling the versatile canvas material she began to explore the idea of making up a handbag from a painting, and the first try manifested in a fantastic prototype that turned into the successful Swarm line that has been coveted around the world.

Working from her home studio in Amsterdam, Oschmann sources the paintings she uses from markets in Central Europe as well as auctioneers that she works with. She uses every bit of an acquired painting, although often a deconstructed work of art can end up in many different Swarm creations.

The body of the tote and shoulder bags is made from the canvas of an oil painting, while the leather handles are re-purposed from French market baskets, vintage belts or purchased directly from a supplier in the south of Holland. Leslie also makes a clutch version that doubles perfectly as a wallet or letter holder, a Still Life iPad case, and tote and shoulder bags that are a colorful and lively change from your average leather holdall.

Although Leslie’s bags have gained more attention recently, she has been making them for a few years now, allowing her to perfect the art of re-crafting works of art. Increased interest in the bags has brought Leslie to hire on a helper who is proficient with an industrial machine – a necessary tool for sewing the heavy canvas covered in layers of oil-based paint.

Leslie’s bags can be shipped worldwide and are available directly from her site www.swarmhome.com/blog,through Anthropologie’s online shop and from The Shop Floor Project. Although not taking customers’ personal paintings under her transformational wing since she needs to test all her paintings for durability, Leslie is open to crafting custom bags. She will take into consideration a client’s preferred coloring or subject by sending them images of different paintings to choose from.

Just like a bottle of vintage wine, Leslie’s Swarm bags just get better with age, gracefully taking on their new lives as useful, moldable and durable everyday objects.

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Not since Scarlett O’Hara upcycled those curtains to make a crazy green velveteen dress have we seen such industrious textile make-overs on the screen.

Yes, Anne Fontaine’s Coco Before Chanel is the quintessential tweed rags-to-riches saga, in which a poor but clever French girl and her sister climb the ladder from the orphanage to the chateau by making great contacts at a tavern where they sang a funny ditty, entitled Coco (hence the nickname for Gabrielle Chanel).

I took away much from Audrey Tautou’s brilliant portrayal of the iconic designer, mainly a reminder why monochromatic, pared-down simplicity has always ruled in the chic department, and how this can be arrived at with the three R’s: recycling, reducing and reusing.

Coco’s early homemade ensembles were reconfigured men’s tweed suits and women’s work aprons – a collection you might spot on Etsy or other sites where crafty visionaries are putting their green spin on fashion. She takes an old tablecloth plaid dress and embellishes it with a white ribbed bib and cuffs. Her lover’s suits become her riding clothes. Sailor tops she spotted in Deauville inspire simple, blue and white striped cotton tees.

You’d never know this was the genius who would put quilted handbags, designer perfume and the famous pocketed Chanel suit on the map, becoming the true first lady of fashion.

Any Project Runway addict will love watching the textile transformations in the film which yielded both handsome and hideous results. You can just hear host and judge Heidi Klum snort, “It’s just so Octoberfest!”

Would the early Coco have had a chance on Project Runway? Certainly in a green competition, you know, one of those challenges in which designers are tossed newspaper, candy wrappers or high volume acrylic wedding gowns and ordered to remake them into something Tim Gunn finds has the wow factor.

The wow emerging in the extraordinary executions was the lack of wow, the architectural lines and basic black palette which allowed the most important aspect of glamor to shine through: the woman. That was the magnet for “Boy”, her painfully handsome lover who appreciated her gift, and that is what attracts a recession-strapped audience to the sullen-eyed heroine.

In a decadent and wasteful Edwardian society married to costumed corsets, frills and other excess, Coco proves women of real style can wear curtains and still be the belle of the ball.

Image: Time out

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