Posts Tagged ‘Eco Fashion’

San Francisco-based Zansus Purses is far from your average purse designing company. It’s the creation of two interior designers/artists determined to empower world change, educate, and create awareness towards reducing the negative impact of industrial pollution on the environment. Not only are the fashionable designs of founders, Sushanta Bhandakar and Naz Saeed, incredibly colorful and delightful but each one-of-a-kind, hand crafted purseangle, clutch, shopping tote, and unisex Zen tote is entirely upcycled from discarded textiles and produced under the commitment to an eco-friendly, no-waste mantra.

…And you’re invited! Zansus Purses is turning one!

Zansus is celebrating their ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY Party and Pre-Valentine Show!

Be sure to stop by and spread the word!
Sunday, February 6. 2011
2PM – 8:30PM
227C Shelley Ave, Campbell CA
(Street parking available)

San Francisco-based Zansus Purses is far from your average purse designing company. It’s the creation of two interior decorators/artists determined to empower world change, educate, and create awareness towards reducing the negative impact of industrial pollution on the environment. Not only are the fashionable designs of founders, Sushanta Bhandakar and Naz Saeed, incredibly colorful and delightful but each one-of-a-kind, hand crafted purseangle, clutch, shopping tote, and unisex Zen tote is entirely upcycled from discarded textiles and produced under the commitment to an eco-friendly, no-waste mantra.

…And you’re invited! Zansus Purses is turning one!

Zansus is celebrating their ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY Party and Pre-Valentine Show!

Be sure to stop by and spread the word!
Sunday, February 6. 2011
2PM – 8:30PM
227C Shelley Ave, Campbell CA
(Street parking available)

I was able to get an interview to learn more about the impressively sustainable business and the two ladies that started it all. Keep reading and get inspired to initiate your own wave of eco empowerment!

1. Where does the name of your designs come from?

Zansus is a scramble of our first names. We had to nail something quick since the Pursangles were already selling.

2.What is unique about your product?

First of all, it is unique since it is a sustainable product. We divert fabric remnants and discards from the landfill to create beautiful, functional, one-of-a-kind up-cycled hand bags. Furthermore, the inspiration comes from the pieces of fabric that lies in front of us – not from huge bolts or pre-determined designs and patterns. Thanks to our artistic and design backgrounds, each handbag is carefully designed and hand-made as an individual piece with its own unique personality.

3.What inspired you to start designing green?

Realizing how much usable items/ fabrics/ textiles/ accessories/ etc gets discarded into the landfill, we decided to put our design skills where our mouth is. Being resourceful and fashion minded, we decided we could

design something useful and functional that reduces the impact on the environment. We use eco-friendly resources otherwise destined for landfills. Because of large assortment of creatively adapted materials every design is fresh and unique. No two are alike!

Our design concept is really simple. It’s a pure rescue, re-use, re-purpose, re-cycle, re-think effort.

At Zansus, we waste nothing. Our materials are discards that come form the upholsterers’ table before they are placed in the trash. If these items are trashed, they ultimately end up in the landfill. These are high quality, durable fabrics suitable for furnishings; they are treated with backing and stain resistant and fire resistant materials. Once discarded, they remain in the landfill for a long time. Maybe forever!

Being a green business, we diligently donate whatever we cannot use. We try to incorporate even the smallest of pieces in creative ways. For example, we use smaller pieces as tags inside our bags! If the aesthetic of the fabric is not suitable we use it on the inside as a stabilizer for the flap or the body of the purse. And whatever we do not use, we donate to various organizations such as RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching) and ScrapSF.

4. What is one eco thing that you think everyone should do/have?

We both try to practice sustainable lifestyles as much as possible. We try to live life by the motto of, “Rethink, Reuse, Reduce excessive consumption and Recycle” on a daily basis.

Naz: I believe in supporting local green businesses and connecting with our immediate communities. That includes eating local food from your farmer’s market and reducing the amount of garbage we produce by purchasing products with less packaging.

Sushanta: RETHINK everything one does. I don’t think we have the luxury to decide which ones to do today or tomorrow. Saving energy, water, our precious resources should be on top of everyone’s list. I founded an environmental awareness program that both Naz and I are involved in educating kids and whoever is willing to listen on the various issues regarding the environment. Check our website: www.empoweringworldchange.com for more details or Follow us on Empowering World Change on Facebook for daily tips on the environment.

5. Favorite non-eco indulgence?

Naz:  I enjoy a good piece of natural farm raised steak once in a while.

Sushanta: Eating out and travelling. I do take my own container most of the times so as to avoid using Styrofoam take-out boxes.

A big thank you to the lovely ladies of Zansus Purses!

Be sure to check out Zansus Purses online and “like” their Facebook fanpage by clicking here. Also, be sure to take a look at their latest Spring 2011 collection – with a few shots in there modeled by yours truly! (It was an absolute honor and by far one of the funnest photoshoots I’ve ever had! And the bags? So gorgeous!  Snagged my own, check out which one by clicking right here!)

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter.com/miratorres and “like” my fanpage at www.facebook.com/thebeautybohemian!

So, of course, I went for shirts. T-shirts OWN all of the requirements I had in terms of versatility, comfort, and durability. Wash, wear, accessorize.

I am a pretty practical, no-fuss, person, so I went with basic staples. It was only natural that I gravitated towards my three most-adored vintage tee shirts.

I love a nice, soft, worn in tee. My t-shirt’s are all  a’ la Goodwill which is, I believe the BEST place to find awesome and eye-catching previously loved tees. Below are my three chosen ones for this divine challenge: Klein Delicatessen’s The Kahlo, a Tribeca Film Festival tee, and a comedy tee with the most holy bull on it.

Random thought: The Kahlo (on my shirt) has curry in it. Don’t you think they should have expanded a little more towards the Latin American sector of ingredients considering Frida was a senorita? I have never tried the Kahlo chicken salad and did some research to find that the last Klein’s is at the SFO. Maybe one day I’ll take a trip up there to document and review this Kahlo ensalada and see if this curry salad is worthy of such a legendary artist’s name.

I also intern as a Social Media Rep for eco-fashion resource, Green By Design. We’re doing a Summer Light Challenge=  10 pieces of clothing for 91 days. You should join…Read on for more info and just think about it… Thank you, you lovely person, you!

With the fear of nagging and harassing readers, I’m going to refuse to roll on and on in this post with an extensive informative essay about why you should join our Summer Light Challenge. If you haven’t figured out how fantastically genius this extremely gutsy, and both mentally and environmentally rewarding fashion provocation is going to be, then hopefully this docket of  the ”Top  10 Reasons Why” will have you soon convinced:

10. You can do a Travel Light Summer Light Challenge. You don’t have to do the whole three month, 91 day, summer season shebang! Minimize with 10 pieces for a quick summer trip. All the benefits with out the long-term commitment.Pack light, go green, be happy!

9. You’ve got support! At some point you’re probably going to think “What on eco-earth did I do?” but have no fear. You are not alone.  We’ve got your back! Not only do you have the whole staff of Green By Design to annex but other eco-leaders like editor Brad Bennett, of Commerce with a Conscience, as well as the lovelies of Sashay Magazine and  Ethical Style are supporting (and surviving) this eco-accomplishment, too.

8.  Master your mix and match skills. Get your creative combination juices flowing. Trying new twists and turns, pairs and partners with daring color matches and clothing styles, will produce that a clothing diet can definitely teach you a few new wardrobe wisdoms. Grab a few tips from this post to get you started.

7. Get your moneys worth out of every item. No need to feel guilty about that $273 pair of heels you just bought. Wearing them consecutively for summer’s 91 days divides into paying $3.00/day when you wear them everyday. On a daily basis, the average person spends more on a latte. Ahh…yes. Did that justification feel like boulders of your shoulders, too?

6. Discover yourself as you rock your wardrobe favorites relentlessly. After finding your favorite pieces (albeit, through trial and error) you will get to know who YOU are as a fashion icon.  An “aha!” moment is bound to happen: Who knew you looked so great in yellow? or Yes, you CAN savagely rock tie-dye leggings like no other. Fashion will lead the way to the path of self-enlightenment and it shall be sweet.

5. Go guilt-free bananas with accessories! Have you seen our editor Celestyna’s pimpin’ collection? This is the fun part. Sometimes we’re so caught up in picking out our actual outfit that we neglect our own collection of darling jewels and hats which help complete our outfits. This summer, with the simplified wardrobe, you’ll have plenty of time to put together your accessory ensemble and hopefully rediscover favorite pieces that you’ve long forgotten. Be sure to check out the GBD-SLC blog featuring the power of accessories with Iris Ipfel.

4.Less Laundry… Need I say more? On to the next.

3.Simplify your summer…because you are bound to have better things to tend to. Like hanging out on the poolside, sipping mimosas, and checking out… the thermometer.

2. Support your community. Aside from helping promote your favorite Eco designers and vintage finds, do your research! Learn what’s happening in your local Eco movement and better understand the concept of Eco fashion and local initiatives on a national and global level.We’re passionate about every step that a garment takes to be made and it’s surely first-rate to know where your clothes are coming from and to make sure we give back to the places we call home.

1.Lower your carbon footprint. Most important! We’re not doing this challenge to sharpen our fashion techniques. Those are all just extra benefits that come with the real goal: Helping the environment. Less consumption, less pollution, and less disposal. Green By Design’s Summer Light Challenge is a great-hearted initiative bent on saving the world by making smarter decisions that lead to bigger impacts. Minimizing our wardrobe is only the beginning.

No soap box or speakerphone needed. Ladies and gents, this summer, our Summer Light Challenge is definitely worth a try.