Mexican restaurant chain The Chiquito launches Vegan-friendly handbag for charity

Image: Chiquito by Max Lacome

Mexican restaurant brand Chiquito has gone from fajitas to fashion and launched its first ever plant-based handbag: "Le Chiquito" specially made to raise awareness and funds for the charity, Veganuary.

Taking inspiration from one of the world’s most talked about handbags of 2021 "The Chiquito" is a small top-handled bag in vegan (PU) leather that can also be worn over the shoulder.  It comes in a vivid bi-colour design of the brand’s famed blue and yellow, reflecting two of the Pantone Color Institute’s top ten standout colours for the season – ‘Spun Sugar’ and ‘Daffodil’. 

So anyone wanting to be Spring/Summer 2022 runway ready can bid on them in an online silent auction on Chiquito's website throughout January 2022.  Just 100 limited edition bags will be available, and  all proceeds will go to the eco-friendly charity partner, Veganuary.  The aim of the campaign is to encourage people and businesses to move to a plant-based diet as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving the health of millions of people. 

Luana Herrmann, Head of Brand and Marketing at Chiquito said: “We’re confident ‘The Chiquito’ will be turning heads on the street and we couldn’t be prouder of supporting Veganuary with their important work for another year.” 

“Our vegan menu has always been an important and ever-evolving part of our brand, and we continue to support and keep our vegan guests at the forefront of our minds. Every year it becomes more vital that we’re giving our customers as much variety as possible in our restaurants. 

“It’s not every day that Chiquito puts its hand to designing a fashion accessory, so when we do, like our food, we do it right.” 

Toni Vernelli, Head of Communications & Marketing at Veganuary, said: “Chiquito has been supporting Veganuary since 2016 and we’re thrilled to have their continued support again this year. Their new vegan-friendly handbag shows that fashion and compassion can go hand in hand.  

“The funds raised from the silent auction will be vital in assisting our continued efforts to promote a meat-free lifestyle. It’s never been as important as it is now to make simple changes that can have a lasting impact.”  

Ethical brand From Belo launches new Eko collection

There is no doubt that reports of plastic pollution have made headline news in these two years and consumers have been awaken to the global problem that has caused environmental devastation.

Two ladies who were upset by such reports decided to take matters into their own hands and launch a handbag and accessories collection made from recycled and sustainable materials. Thus the ethical brand From Belo was born, set up by school friends and long-distance business partners Maria Costa, 28, who lives in Brazil and Charlotte Bingham-Wallis also 28, based in the UK.

Although 5,000 miles apart, they are united with an aim to have a brand centred on being kind and fashioning kindness. 

From Belo launches the EKO Collection

The new collection will be available from 17/11/18.  From Belo will also be celebrating on Saturday November 17th at the Cambridge Sustainable Fashion Festival at St Banabas Church (11am to 4pm) and then Sunday November 18th in London at the Bricklane Up market (10am – 6pm).

Not only did the two partners start an ethical brand that offers practical, responsibly-made products which fit with their values, they also made an effort to ensure they offer ethical working conditions, fair wages and employment for their artisans based in Brazil, as well as providing an opportunity to give back to Casa De Maria  - an organisation which helps feed the homeless and those in need in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

From Belo is no stranger to the jet set lifestyle either. Earlier this year they were finalists at the prestigious Handbag Designer Awards in the Most Socially Responsible Handbag category.

And this autumn they have launched the EKO Collection,  a vegan range using seatbelts and plastic bottles once destined for landfill and reincarnated into beautiful things and given a second life.

The range includes coin purses to tote bags, as well as a bucket bag which can be worn four ways, a clutch bag, a wine holder, a market bag and a make-up bag - all handmade with recycled materials, carrying their signature hummingbird motif - a symbol of the enjoyment of life and the lightness of being.

Each item is named in honour of the kind volunteers that work at the Casa De Maria charitable organisation.  

BRAND NEW Star Wars™ | Po-Zu footwear announced

Building on the successful launch of the Star Wars™ Po-Zu co-branded footwear collaboration last year,  British eco-footwear brand Po-Zu - known for their environmental and Vegan-friendly footwear made with ORGANIC cotton and Pinatex (PINEAPPLE leaf-fibre) - has announced the launch of their first  Spring – Summer 2018 footwear collection for women & men.

The new Star Wars™ Po-Zu co-branded range is expanded with the addition of a vegan-friendly ‘RESISTANCE Lo’ low-cut organic cotton canvas sneaker with a metal Rebel Alliance badge at the ankle and the famous Po-Zu Foot Mattress™ in sole for comfort.

Joining the sneaker range: the women’s SQUADRON slip-on, which features an elasticated top panel, metal Rebel Alliance badge and ribbed heel counter in metallic silver Pinatex with metallic linen, are lined with organic cotton and in tune with a huge VEGAN trend in footwear.  The full Star Wars™ | Po-Zu range includes many Vegan-friendly designs alongside traditional leather boots.

Sven Segel, Founder of Po-Zu, commented that he is thrilled to continue "with their galactic ride for the second season."  He said: “I was truly inspired by the Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the new characters – and love fusing sustainable materials into some of these timeless pieces."