Our Embroidered Gigi Tassel Bags are some of the most complicated bags we've made yet. Inspired by a design owned by my late Grandma, these bags were infused with so much love and intention from beginning to end. We'll go through each step of production we went through to see these to fruition from the first pattern being created, to the designing of the embroidery, picking out thread, and more.

Pyrite. What is it? Even though it sure sits pretty, pyrite is a power stone that packs a punch. One of our favorite stones, it’s believed by many to be excellent for manifesting, making big moves, achieving goals and calling in abundance. 

Happy Holidays! If you are looking for a few gift ideas for a sustainably or ethically minded friend, then look no further. We've rounded up some of our favorite conscious items in our new holiday gift guide here. 

What comes to mind when you hear the word hemp? Most people think of either cannabis or burlap sacs toted around by bare-footed hippies. Are they wrong? Perhaps not, but hemp is the most under-rated and under-appreciated plant out there in terms of all that it can do for its applications in fashion. 

Photo: Taylr Anne of Taylranne

We love seeing our Water/ Wine Bottle Holder Bags in the wild. Here is a selection of our favorites from around the web and beyond.

 

We know you love your reusable water bottle so we made something cute for you to carry it in (what you put in it is up to you). Fits up to standard 25 oz Swell bottle or a bottle of wine. 

We’re so excited to share with you our latest interview in our 5 Things series where we chat with Maike Lüdenbach, founder of ethical and sustainable underwear line LÖV the label. Here we talk about how she got started, the importance of inclusivity and conscious production, growing up in Spain, and finding inspiration in friendships, real women, and the magical world of self care. 

The holidays are one of our favorite times to support fellow sustainable and conscious-minded makers and artisans whose products we love. Here. Debra and I have chosen the twelve items on our wish list this year.

Sedona is one of my favorite places on earth. My family goes twice a year and I'm lucky if I can make it with them once every three years. As a family, we've been going to Sedona for as long as I can remember. When I was little I used to wade through Oak Creek and watch, mesmerized by the life underwater, studying carefully the fish, tadpoles, and algae existing together in harmony, in between hopping on big red boulders placed carefully on the creek like little islands. I remember there was nothing as lovely as drying off in the sun on top of one of these warm, sun-soaked red rocks after coming up from the water.

I'm older now, yet my love for Sedona still remains. It's one of those places where time seems to stand still. In Sedona, everything is easy and life is peaceful, not to mention there's no escaping from the awe-inspiring beauty of its land, which, if you choose to remove your focus from even one second, makes itself known in other ways. The town itself is about as touristy as it gets, but with everything from cactus shot glasses to red rock jeep tours, to aura photos and crystal healing, it's well worth exploring for an afternoon. 

Classic belt bag in Pinatex, hfscollective.com

I don't think we have ever been as excited to launch a collection as we are now with the launch of our new Piñatex Collection. Maybe that's because we have waited almost two years to get our hands on this innovative material that is still being made in relatively small runs across the pond-- or it could be because we are one of the very first American brands to be using it--or maybe because it is the most sustainable material we have ever used. So, what exactly is Piñatex? and what's all the buzz about? 

We believe in hands free happiness, the joy of less, ethical manufacturing, innovative materials that don't harm the planet or contribute to climate change, and knowing exactly who made our bags and where. So excited to show you our newest video taken behind the scenes of our latest lookbook photoshoot. 

The song is "sit still" by one of our new favorite artists, mossy. 

Check out more of his songs on his soundcloud here. 

We are so excited to launch the second part of our Sustainable Vintage Collection. These convertible belt bags are our most sustainable bags ever and as always, are completely vegan and made locally and sustainably in Los Angeles. What exactly makes a bag sustainable? 

Meet co-founders and mother-daughter team Debra and Rachel as they share their love of the fanny pack, why upcycling matters & a behind-the-scenes peek of shooting their newest line of belt bags, the Sustainable Vintage Collection.

hipstersforsisters.com

So excited to announce the launch of our new, sustainable vintage collection! Our most sustainable belt bags yet, these babies are made with 100% upcycled, vintage denim and organic cotton lining, and of course, they're made locally right here in Los Angeles. What's upcycling and why does it matter? Well, let's talk facts. 

Megan Sette of M Collaborative, Hali Borenstein of Reformation, Bianca Moran of Susi Studio, and Debra Denniston of Hipsters for Sisters 

on the Sustainable Fashion Panel at Love Goodly's Do Good Be Green Conference*

People are finally starting to “get it” and not a moment too soon. Statistics show that 64% of Americans understand that human activity is causing climate change and are concerned. Climate change is not only real, but is happening faster than scientists originally thought possible, with devastating results that are already affecting many of us. Some scientists even believe that we are already beyond the point of no return and what we need now is immediate action to salvage what we can and reduce green house gases right now. Unfortunately, the United States is a major polluter of our environment and that doesn’t seem likely to change anytime soon. Although “many people” are expressing hope in tenuous reports that Ivanka Trump has taken interest in climate change (Thanks, Leo), the President-Elect, himself, continues to choose people for his cabinet who are card-carrying members of the Climate Change Deniers Club. In fact, Reince Priebus has told reporters that climate denial will be the official policy of Trump’s administration and the Koch brothers, and Big oil are already shaping Trump’s climate-denying environmental agenda. So, what can we, as individuals, do? 

Yay! We just adore Elizabeth Banks and how much she loves her Hipsters for Sisters belt bag. Here she is exploring Copacabana beach in her HFS Black Pocket Bum Bag.

Mother-daughter co-founders, Debra and Rachel Denniston, with their belt bags at the Springs LA Holiday Pop-Up

Our belt bags are now available at The Springs in downtown Los Angeles! Check us out in the retail section, as part of M. Dot Design's holiday pop-up! Our belt bags will be there thru February 2016.

Learn more about the Springs.

Still from Pretty Woman, Touchstone Pictures (sourced here)

Introducing our new Pocket Bum Bag in Saddle. We're so excited to bring you our best-selling bum bag in two new colors for Fall. If we had to recommend one bag for someone who's new to our line and wants to dip their toes in the proverbial HFS pool, we'd definitely choose this bag (also comes in Black, and now Olive!). Why do we love this bag so much? 

Celebrity Elizabeth Banks wearing her Hipsters for Sisters Black Pocket Bum Bag. 

Photo: Katie Pruett of Fashion Just Case 

Fashion is increasingly being viewed as an immense waste of natural resources, with an environmental footprint large enough to doom the planet for eternity within just a few, short years. The consumer's voracious desire for cheap "fast fashion" has created an industry not healthy for children, the planet and most other living things. The good news is there are fashion pioneers working hard to balance the equation. These are mostly small companies, like our own, intentionally creating quality products, not only built to last, but also built with great consideration of our natural resources, respect for the people actually making them and our environment. The problem is finding them. In a fashion world run by mega corporations with mega dollars to spend on advertising and PR, these small startups can get lost. Their only hope for survival is the ever increasing array of conscious magazines and fashion bloggers willing to do the research to find these small, ethical brands and share them with their own conscious audiences. While even the large, mainstream publications are beginning to occasionally feature a page devoted to sustainability (usually around Earth Day), the burden of saving the planet falls on the shoulders of those pioneering mavericks set out to make a difference.