O My Bag

O My Bag

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O MY BAG, the celebrated sustainable brand from Amsterdam, is known for their beautiful eco-leather accessories. When I visited UK’s favorite fashion buying event in London, Pure London, I had the pleasure to meet with Paulien Wesselink, the founder and owner of O My Bag. The products of O My Bag were beautifully set out on the stand and (obviously) many buyers were interested! Luckily she took the time to tell me all about O My Bag, including how she came up with the idea, the concept, the business model, the launch and the situation three years later…

After studying history and international relations, Paulien dreamt of starting a social enterprise and knowing each and every detail thereof. As she wanted to establish a sustainable brand, she flew to India in 2010, where she visited many manufacturers. The founder of O My Bag familiarized herself with the ecological leather process and the safer tanning thereof, how the patterns are cut, the sewing is done, the buckles are appended, and so on.

In 2011 O My Bag was launched, the brand that started to sell bags we could flaunt without guilt. The O-My-Bag-Team strongly believes that we can achieve a better world where everyone can live a better life. O My Bag would be conducive to develop third world countries and to fair trade using a business model that would offer employment in good working conditions to people (mostly women and other minorities) who would earn a fair salary, built a pension, have adequate health insurance protection and to whom education and training are offered. Paulien visits India approximately 2 or 3 times a year not only because she wants to stay close with her manufacturers, tanners and suppliers, but also because she love the spirit of this country.

The design and technical drawings are made in Amsterdam and the samples are produced in India. O My Bag currently works with four factories. By creating jobs for minorities O My Bag contributes to important Millennium Goals, like fighting poverty and encouraging the empowerment of women. A job at EMA, a fair trade organisation in Baripur near Kolkata, offers underprivileged people more than a fair wage; it offers them an education, a safety net and a chance to a brighter future.

Looking closely at the O My Bag items set out on the stand, I noticed that all products are made of super-luxe soft leather (coming from the local Indian cow) and have the same appeal: sophistication, authentic vintage feeling, elegance and fashionable, all with a twist. Starting off with Dirty Harry, Sleazy Jane and Franky Fierce, O My Bag has currently 75 different products. They keep on developing new accessories and this season the Midnight Blue collection is released: the smoothly eco-vintage leather in the deep midnight blue-color combined with a touch of delicate gold for a sparkly night look. In the O My Bag collection you will find something to wear for everyone (men & women, students & yups and mothers & daughters). Take a look yourself (you can order online)!

“O My Bag, the best fashionable way to contribute a little to a better world!”

My favorite is the Sleazy Jane in red. Which bag stole your heart?

P.s. You might also like Every woman needs a little black bag & Mossel & Gin!

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