BagInspiration, an online retailer and one-stop shop for eco-friendly bags, offers purse parties to benefit non-profit organizations.
Most home parties involve the hostess inviting her friends to learn about and purchase products from kitchen gadgets and skin care to jewelry and lingerie.
BagInspiration purse parties will feature eco friendly bags of all types with a percentage of the party sales going to the non-profit of the hostess’ choice. “Women love purses and parties, so we are bringing the two together,” said Stefanie Kushner, BagInspiration co-owner. “The difference is instead of asking her friends to come to a party so she can earn free merchandise, the hostess will encourage them to come so her non-profit will benefit.”
The hostess can choose any non-profit according to Michelle Larson, BagInspriation co-owner. “Many women already volunteer and contribute to a charity that means something to them. While the environment is our focus, we want to empower and encourage their passion to do good in the world, whether it’s to help with homelessness, cancer research or literacy.”
Eco-friendly bags offered by BagInspiration include handbags made from recycled tires and juice boxes, repurposed seatbelts, and sustainable materials such as hemp. In addition, there are reusable bags to replace plastic — reusable shopping bags, produce and sandwich bags. Many are also certified as fair trade products which added to the appeal for the women. “Fair trade products support and empower women in developing countries which is the philosophy we are adopting with our green purse parties,” said Larson.
The story of BagInspiration began with a friendship and a Mexican candy wrapper. Larson and Kushner met at a playgroup in September 2000 when their boys were three years old and quickly became good friends.
Flash forward nine years from that September playgroup to a family vacation in Mexico. Larson fell in love with a handbag made from recycled candy wrappers made by Mexican women and had to have it. After seeing it, Kushner was inspired to purchase an adorable bag made from recycled billboards at a local shop for herself.
Inspired by the story behind the candy wrapper bag, the friends began to seek out other bags made from recycled materials. “The number of different bags made from recycled materials is amazing,” said Kushner. They saw an opportunity to do more for the environment by bringing all of these great eco friendly bags together and offering them to other eco and fashion conscious women.
In 2010, two months after finding the candy wrapper bag in Mexico, BagInspiration was born. Now Larson and Kushner hope to inspire others to go green with style and help their community non-profits.
