...and I would drive 60,000 more for one of these amazing bags made from re-cycled inner tubes.
From the English Retreads website:
Heather English got the idea for English Retreads when she was floating down Boulder Creek on, you guessed it, an inner tube. “I needed a new handbag but I was a hardcore vegetarian. I wanted something that was fashionable and invincible—but not made from leather,” Heather explains. “I didn’t find what I was looking for, so I went to McGuckin's, [a favorite local hardware store] bought some tools and started my own personal sweatshop—with me doing the sweating.” After friends started asking for a bag just like hers, Heather knew she was on to something and English Retreads hit the road in 2001.
And being green doesn't mean sacrificing on style. I love the Large Beetle, which costs $209 (£113). It comes with a choice of four gorgeous linings in traditional black, sky blue, apple green or pumpkin orange.
The Bentley messenger bag: the large size ($169 or £92) is perfect for a laptop. I love how good it would look or a guy or a girl. Mmmm, unisex!
And how cute is the Coupe? $85/£46.
Truck stops in the Boulder area [of Colarado, USA] supply Heather with the used inner tubes—each of which probably has more than 60,000 miles on it before it gets reinvented. "Just think of all the places these tubes have been," says Heather. "Now it's your turn to add to their miles and adventures."
That last quote is my favourite part: I love the eco-friendly, carbon-neutral manifesto of the company but more than that, I love the romance of a bag well-traveled. I'd like a small Beetle, please! But what colour lining to chose?
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