Mad Imports l Gigi Clutch

In the spirit of Earth Day, I went back and looked at some of my "Green Baggage" posts (not too many, shame) for inspiration. There was the aGainNYC clutch I had discovered through Modify.com, an online boutique specializing in eco-friendly products, and Beau Soleil's Beau Bag, my favorite version among the latest flurry of canvas bags. Then I went looking for similarly fashionable and environmentally friendly bags, and was surprised that not too many shopping websites are featuring Earth Day specific products on their homepages. Good thing I had bookmarked the list of eco-friendly handbag labels collected by Allison Teich, the designer of aGainNYC (side note: Teich recently launched a high-end version of her "green" handbags. My favorite is the hemp herringbone day satchel from the spring collection).

It is among this list of designers that I discovered a collection of rainbow-shaded clutches by Mad Imports, a company that carries handmade bags from Kenya and Madagascar. Laurel Brandstetter, founder of Mad Imports, saw an opportunity to improve the economic condition in local communities by supporting handmade products, and expanded a development project her relative James Sellers had established in Madagascar. Since the founding in 2003, Jamila Hubbard, a New York-based designer, joined the company and currently works with local Malagasy artisans to create the bags you see on Mad Import's website. The company has since funded the education of the children of the weavers who help produce the handbags, and provides educational materials to the Akany Avoko orphanage. Mad Imports is also a part of the Fair Trade Federation, an association of businesses and nonprofit organizations that support fair trade (you can also find a list of other Federation member companies that sell locally-produced handbags from all around the world).

The Gigi clutches are made out of handwoven raffia and cotton lining, with a carved wooden button as decoration over the snap closure. The clutch comes in seven different colors with equally delightful names - punch, espresso, natural, sunflower, mango, ocean, apple (not pictured here) - and would be a fun way to accessorize your summery white dress. Measuring in at 7.5" H x 11" W, the Gigi clutches are available for $69 each. Not a bad way to celebrate Earth Day!

Image: Courtesy of Mad Imports.