Blue Button Bags and Fashion Revolution - a responsible way to buy designer bags

Two years ago this month, the eight-storey Rana Plaza factory building near Dhaka collapsed. The building was full of garment shops, making clothes for companies around the world and 1,130 garment workers were killed, crushed under the rubble. More than 2,500 individuals, mainly women, were rescued, but suffered appalling injuries. 

It’s not exactly the subject material for a website selling bags is it? But the story is one that underpins everything we do at Blue Button Bags. We’re proud to be part of Fashion Revolution which aims to change the way we shop, wear and think about clothes and fashion.

Fashion Revolution asks you to share a photo of your garment label tagged with #whomadeyourclothes

Blue Button Bags designs and makes its stunning bags in the UK. This means that we pay more - more for fabric, more for manufacture, more for the welfare and wellbeing of those who cut and sew and finish our glamorous bags, accessories and scarves. And we think it’s worth it. Like Vivienne Westwood we say “Buy less, choose it well, make it last” not just because we want to sell you our lovely bags and accessories but because we believe that paying a good price for a well made, long lasting, high quality product is better for you, better for the planet and better for the people who make our exclusive Blue Button Bags line.

The big picture is really serious; the price of almost everything in the world rose rapidly in the past century - except for clothing. In 1900 the average American household spent 15% of income on clothing. By 2004 that figure had dropped to just 4%. As we pay less and less for clothing and accessories, we own more and more of them. An average British woman in 1997 purchased 19 items of clothing a year, by 2007 she was buying 34 items. More clothes purchased for less money means just one thing - at some point in the production chain, somebody is getting less money than they used to. In many cases this is the manufacturer, and that’s why garment workers are paid a pittance, work long hours and are forced to labour in poor conditions. 

Blue Button Bags - great bags at a great price

So we’re not the cheapest, but we think our bags are worth every penny because:

• We make classic items that look great season after season - they are an investment, not an indulgence
• Our bags and accessories are superb quality - made to last, they deliver on quality and performance
• The people who make Blue Button Bag items are well paid, so the products are well made, which means your experience of those products will be satisfying and fun.
• And it’s not just us saying this:

• Young mothers find our organisers are ‘must have’ items, allowing them to have a trouble-free day, with their little ones every day
• Make-up artists and hairdressers love the organiser inserts too - using them to support hectic careers and always look good in the spotlight
• Our tote bags are popular with holiday-makers and travellers in general - we’ve even seen one at a wedding, where the bride’s retro floral dress was perfectly complemented by Blue Button’s gorgeous tote.

So we’re glad to be a part of the Fashion Revolution and we’ll be tweeting on 24 April, so if you want to let us know where our bags, scarves and accessories are, and how you use them, we’d be delighted to hear from you

By Kay Sexton

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