Ever wondered what to do with your old worn-out leather handbag?
I’ll tell you what: donate it to ATGAB (All Things Green and Beautiful) and Elaine Pang - the talented one-woman show behind this very unique Singaporean label - will turn it into beautiful accessories that make perfect and green Christmas gifts.
 |
| Green and beautiful:These beautiful accessories are made up of at least 80% old material! |
Last month, Elaine collected my worn-out tan-coloured leather handbag; the challenge was to make something for my husband’s birthday using the material. And the result was this quirky bowtie-necklace which has already been given an airing.
So, if you have an old bag lying around and cluttering your room, just contact Elaine and she’ll collect it and in return add your picture to her ‘bag goddesses’ list on her website (I’m there by the way :-)).
You also get 10% off any products you buy from ATGAB.
So, if you have an old bag lying around and cluttering your room, just contact Elaine and she’ll collect it and in return add your picture to her ‘bag goddesses’ list on her website (I’m there by the way :-)).
You also get 10% off any products you buy from ATGAB.
 |
| My old handbag transformation process into this bow-tie |
If you don’t own a bag, you still can get those accessories and have pride that this year your gifts are environmentally-friendly AND cool, which will definitely earn you some admiration from family and friends.
Either way, if you do it now, you’ll be able to get your hands on one of these unique creations just in time for Christmas. Visit Elaine’s website at www.allthingsgreenandbeautiful.com for more details.
And the best part of it is the price. Brooches start at just S$19, headbands at S$28 and clutch purses come as low as S$89. If you have something specific in mind you can contact Elaine and she’ll custom make a one of a kind piece for you.
 |
| Cute headband... |
 |
| and brooches... |
All Things Green and Beautiful: Driven by passion
As you may have gathered from the first part of this post. Elaine isn’t driven by the bottom line in her business. It’s a pure passion play.
The idea behind ATGAB is simple and noble. Plus it works. By encouraging people to recycle their unwanted handbags, Elaine wishes to raise awareness about preserving the environment and show that green products can be creative and stylish.
Being a big fan of recycled accessories (I have handbags made of newspapers and candy wrappers and earrings made of old buttons and zippers) I cannot but admire the effort Elaine is doing especially when seeing how passionate she is about it and of course the quality of her products which are made with professional workmanship and above all… love!
The most popular items from ATGAB are cute headbands, necklaces and brooches, all made up of at least 80% old material and mostly inspired by nature motifs like leaves and flowers.
Elaine has also tried her hand on designing clutches, made from old fabric and leather details and the result looks cool as well.
Despite doing everything on her own, from collecting the bags to rethinking the material, executing the products and marketing her brand, Elaine still found time to contribute to what she believes in.
Recently, her ‘shark fin’ pouches which she made as a reaction to the cruel practice of shark finning which is very popular in Asia, are being sold on ACRES (Animal concerns research & education society) website where 70% of the profit goes to the organization.
I think that would be a perfect gift to get someone who you know consumes shark fin soup. Maybe it’ll put them off their meal and prove a point.
 |
| The shark fin purses make perfect gift for those who consume its soup. |
On another note, Elaine is participating in British Vogue competition to make a sustainable dress. You can vote for her creation on:
Just a reminder in case you don’t want to scroll back to the top. Elaine’s website is www.allthingsgreenandbeautiful.com
Or you can try getting hold of her via the ATGAB Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Things-Green-And-Beautiful/338774778307