Fair Trade Product of the Month

This past spring we introduced a new eco-friendly collection of handbags and accessories from Cambodia. Each of these products is fashioned from recycled mosquito netting, making each piece a uniquely green fashion item.

The product that has been the best seller, hands down, is this Shoulder Bag. Little did we realize when we introduced it how popular or how useful it would be for Apple's hot new item - the iPad.



Our new shoulder bag comes in six new trendy colors. It not only has a large inside storage pouch, but also a zippered pocket as well as two open, but divided pockets located on the inside front section of the bag. This provides a way to keep extra items organized and easier to find. In addition to these divided pockets, it has two roomy inside pockets that can carry your iPhone, iPod and pocket size earphones. The perfect solution for the techno-savy guy or gal and our fair trade product of the month.

Confessions of an Over-Worked Mom Giveaway

Ellen at Confessions of an Over-Worked Mom is hosting a giveaway of our Flower Bracelet. She has also generously posted about five ACCESSORIES on her other blog called The Socialite's Closet. Please help us support her by visiting her blogs, leaving a comment or even entering her giveaway. Thanks!

Newly Designed Cambodia Line in Time for Earth Day!

Just in time for Earth Day, we are excited to have expanded our Cambodia Collection. The collection, made from repurposed mosquito netting by women in Cambodia, consists of a uni-sex messenger bag with inside divider for your computer; a shoulder bag w/ inside pockets; a key ring with cell phone holder (pictured above) and coin purse perfect to attach to the inside of the messenger bag (pictured below). The key ring and coin purse will feature a five petal flower similar to five’s logo flower.

The new line made by a fair trade co-op in Cambodia, is made from recycled plastic mosquito netting, carefully washed and cleaned, originally used to protect livestock, safety netting, and brick layers used it as a sand sieve. The messenger bag has an inside divider that will make it a great eco-friendly computer/work bag for professionals and students or a perfect diaper bag for mothers. Each of these accessories has a zipper closure, whereas the messenger bag has a snap closure. These products are available in new spring colors: grey, copper, blue, yellow, green and black for all styles. Prices will range from $15.00 up to $75. Perfect for an Earth Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or graduation gift!

Another Giveaway at Barefoot Mommies

We are sponsoring another giveaway over at Amanda's blog, Barefoot Mommies. We are giving away two of our bracelets: a pop top bracelet and our triangular solid wood bracelet. See below for photos.



:

This giveaway ends on March 25th, so only two more days to enter!

Education in Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the poorest nations in the world. It has a population of 11.4 million people and a 62% illiteracy rate in the adult population.

16% of all the children ages 6-11 are not in school and in some of the more remote areas this can be as high as 50%.

In a 1999 CSES Survey an estimated 1.6 million (about 25%) of school age children not attending full-time gave household income/work in the rice fields as the number one reason for not being in school. Whereas, only 8% cited the lack of quality accessible education as their primary hindrance in not attending school.

Due to the low participation in higher education, five ACCESSORIES desires to assist these families in educating their children. That is why we give back through the sale of our charity handbags. As pictured, the large messenger bag made in Cambodia from five ACCESSORIES http://tinyurl.com/mpmded