Recycling and upcycling have been a thing for quite some time. And I love it. We should try to reduce waste. And when we can’t, at least not produce more waste.
Also in fashion.
Therefore, every time when I make something myself, I only use natural materials which are leftovers, thrifted or from my grandma/mom. But also when I purchase something new, I prefer to look for second hand first and also for pieces made from recycled materials.
So when Bottletop reached out to me to ask whether I wanted to try one of their bags, I was highly excited.
So what does Bottletop do?
Bottletop is a company creating bags and other accessories from bottle tops – surprise, surprise. These are the pull tabs from drink cans, but than put into a whole other use.
Every bag is handmade in their atelier in Brazil. Bottletop pays their artisans 45% higher than the industry average, to empower their wider communities.
Most of their artisans are women, they are trained on the job to file, paint and crochet the ring pulls to create the unique braiding/chain mail technique, this is known as ‘Mistura’, ultimately creating the Bottletop bags.
So what about the materials?
When creating the design, one should also take materials into consideration. Sustainability is very important to me, so when I see a brand with the same values, I get excited. Bottletop looks for sustainable options in the whole process. They are using upcycled metal ring pulls and Amazon zero-deforestation leather thus not damaging the rainforest like many other fashion houses who source leather. So all bags are 100% sustainable including the dustbag, packaging etc.
All bags are available at their website and in store on London’s Regent Street. Fun fact: the London flagship is the world’s first 3D printed store made entirely of upcycled ocean plastic.
How to style the bag
This bag is the perfect addition to any outfit, creating an elevated and trendy look with a message. Even though the bag is made out of waste, it doesn’t look trash. Instead, it looks super chic and expensive. You will be able to wear it on multiple occasions and with many outfits. I’ve worn in with this autumn-like trenchcoat, but also with shorts and sandals.
Need more style inspo? Check out this blog post on what to wear in summer.
