Don't Fight the Crowds on Black Friday - Shop Online! Whether you fight the crowds on Black Friday or kick back at home and eat leftover turkey the Maggie Bags Black Friday deals will make you grateful.  Both deals are valid Thursday, November 22 through Monday, November 26, 2012. Get a whopping 27% off the Maggie Bags Premier Line.  You are sure to find something for every woman on your list. Enter discount code*: BFCM12-27    Get an even better deal on clearance items over Black Friday weekend.  This deal gets you an additional 10% off our woven line. Enter.. Read More »

The Skinny on GOTS Certfication Organic clothing: you see the words and you think it’s a good choice, but is that all there is to it? Many people simply have the opinion that organic is better. While in some instances that can be the case you still want to look into things a bit further. Clothing that is made from organic fibers may not be organic after it is converted into a piece of clothing. Have you ever thought about the manufacturing process and what cotton goes through to become clothing?  Cotton fibers go through a lengthy process from washing,.. Read More »

Green Clean Ideas Abound! When I began having children I started looking into everything that was unsafe in our home. One main thing that most homes have: chemicals. All of the cleaners under our sink and in our bathroom had harsh chemicals in them, which means the floors I clean and the countertops and everything else has chemicals on it! The very things my babies would be crawling on and touching were filled with chemicals. I knew I had to get rid of the chemicals just to have peace of mind with my babies in the house, but what would.. Read More »

Cloth Diapering vs. Disposable Diapering Cloth diapering scared the daylights out of me when I was first introduced to it nearly 3 years ago. The thought of all of the additional work with laundering the diapers and the fact of having to clean out dirty diapers made me want to run. I didn’t know if it was for me or not but I was leaning towards the “not for me” answer. Fast forward to today and I am a happy, cloth diapering mama of two little ones. Why did I do it? Let me tell you what convinced me. When.. Read More »

Clean well! By now you probably know I am all about D.I.Y. As a creative person it is empowering and over time living on a budget can allow for those dream vacations to finally manifest. So to help you arrive on that sunny distant shore in good health and with ease I though I'd share this simple lavender dish washing liquid recipe with you. Here is what you will need: 3 Tablespoons Lavender Castile Soap 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar 2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin 2 Cups warm water 10 drops Lavender essential oil Simply combine all ingredients in a jar and.. Read More »

Here is a great review from a Cindy T. a YouTube fashion blogger who asked to review some of our products.  Cindy also made the DIY denim bracelet video a couple of weeks ago.  You can view this video on TheMaggieBags YouTube channel. CORRECTIONS on the video:  She mentioned me (Kerri) as the owner of Maggie Bags.  This is incorrect.  I am the Senior Director of Marketing but do not own the company. All seat belt webbing used in Maggie Bags production is new webbing that has been rejected by auto manufacturers. No webbing used has ever been in a.. Read More »

Less in landfills means more in Eco-chic    As of May 2012 Maggie Bags has used nearly 1 million yards of rejected seat belt webbing to produce our handbags. Wow – that is a huge amount of seatbelt webbing. Seatbelt webbing is typically rejected by the auto manufacturers because either it does not meet safety standards or the color variations are not acceptable.  Sometimes just part of a webbing spool may be damaged and the entire roll is rejected.  This is all good news for Maggie Bags because we purchase this surplus webbing and turn it into beautiful Eco-friendly handbags... Read More »

D.I.Y. Instant Summer Accessories: Maggie Bags Bracelet? Yes, I said it. Think outside the box, get creative! Just because someone says its a shoelace doesn't mean its only a shoelace. It's a belt, tourniquet, hair accessory, cat toy, tool for tie dying, braid them into friendship bracelets, let your imagination run WILD! It's not about shoelaces it's about re-imagining materials and what they can become. Think tire-swing. This is exactly how Maggie Bags came to be. We had a surplus of raw material that would otherwise go to landfills so we let our imagination take flight and came up with.. Read More »

 Toothbrush Bracelet Dentists recommend changing your toothbrush every three months. What are we to do with our old toothbrushes? Well, I'm glad you asked! Follow the simple instructions below to have yourself in the know about how to make an upcycled eco-chic accessory this summer. Tools: Old toothbrush Needle nose pliers Small towel Pot for boiling water large enough to fit toothbrush Bowl of cool water Here's my old toothbrush. It's pretty fabulous to begin with being gold and glittery and all. When buying your new toothbrush consider, 'will this make an attractive bracelet in three months?' Step One: Begin.. Read More »

Konane, our fabulous Maggie Bags designer is a very unique and creative individual. She applies her creativity into several designs of her own in addition to the designs she creates for Maggie Bags.  One of my favorites is the Butterfly Bag.  It is truly unique and most definitely a conversation starter! I love designing for Maggie Bags because I value creative freedom and working with people who care to have a positive impact on the planet. As a designer having my hands in the process of making these products is very important. Working with seatbelt can be a challenge and.. Read More »

Now that’s cool.  The new Basketball arena constructed in London for the 2012 Olympic Games is covered in 20,000 square meters of recyclable white PVC fabric.  It took only 3 months to set up in 2010 and I imagine it will come down even faster.  After the Olympic Games parts of this arena are expected to be reused and/or relocated elsewhere. What a creative way to construct a temporary building.  I look forward to seeing how they actually reuse material!  There are many areas of our lives where we can re-purpose materials.  We can take something meant for one use.. Read More »

Stocking stuffers are often an afterthought during the gift buying process. We often dismiss the task thinking it will be easy. Sometimes that is not the case. Buying the right stocking stuffers can be a challenge. Space is limited in a stocking so it is best to determine your goals first. Are you looking to fill it with a few “big” thins or many “little” things? Having a game plan before you start shopping can save you time and energy. If you buy too many little knick knacks it can end up taking an hour to pull everything out of.. Read More »

The Holiday Season is upon us,and there much shopping to be done. Shopping for students can sometimes be difficult for aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents. You could try and buy the latest laptop, cell phone or iPad only to have your student ask for the upgrade in a week! High school students, as well as college students always want the latest and greatest products. We suggest another idea…gift cards! You can get gift cards for so many things restaurants, grocery stores, iTunes, your students favorite clothing store or just give them a bank gift card they can use anywhere (BEWARE.. Read More »

Going green is the new black. Everyone wants to be more eco friendly and what better way to show the world than through your wardrobe. Here at Maggie bags, we have decided to try and be as “green” as possible this summer. Here are a few tips to get you started when creating your best summer wardrobe yet! Buy Vintage or Used: Through the years we have seen all kinds of trends pop back up from the past. Bell bottom jeans, leopard print, and big hair have all made a full circle and we are seeing them all again. Make.. Read More »

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In this non-stop world of technology, it's easy to get caught up in latest trends. Do you really need that new phone that does everything and then some or is your slightly older one doing the job just fine? Resist the urge to upgrade every time your own technology is usurped. With over 130 million cell phones thrown in the trash every year in the United States alone, there's a significant increase in pollution, despite their small size. Cell phones especially pose problems at landfills or when they're burned in municipal waste incinerators because they have toxic chemicals in batteries.. Read More »

Hey Maggie Bag lovers! We wanted to create a new, bigger space to share more insights, ideas, and happenings with all of you, hence our spanking new blog! Stay tuned for updates on all things Maggie Bags, mixed in with our favorite eco-friendly products, articles, and tips. Read More »