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This “Green” Potato Purse was made from a re- purposed burlap potato sack, as is customary for the Crystelle PotatoPurse; and reclaimed fabric for the trim.

Did you ever wonder what happens to all those sacks that used to hold potatoes and onions?

They have a certain rustic charm.  You can still get potato sacks made out of good old fashioned jute burlap, complete with slubs and endearing irregularities.  And the woven plastic onion sacks catch your eye with their bright, bold graphic design.

Whatever happens to most of them, a lucky few end up in the hands of Crystelle, stay-at-home mom, designer and owner of Crystelle’s Handbags.

A Family Business

Crystelle explains, “After our youngest child started first grade, I found myself looking for something to do with ALL that extra free time I suddenly had. Handbags are so much fun to design and use!”  Being married to a potato farmer, she naturally turned to potato sacks for inspiration.  And by making bags out of discarded items, she’s keeping material out of the landfill and making a statement that goes beyond mere fashion.

Crystelle’s Handbags is a bona fide family business.  Dad helps with marketing, the oldest daughter is a computer whiz and takes care of the website, and the younger kids make up the cheerleading squad, as well as helping with packaging and odd jobs.

The Potato Purse – Unique Bags with Rustic Charm

The bags themselves are absolutely charming.  They come in several styles and depending on the size can be put to use as purses, tote bags, diaper bags, or even gym bags.  The potato – sack printing identifies the bags’ humble origins and lends them a certain Depression-era chic. 

It’s worth checking out Crystelle’s blog as well. There you can take a peek into her creative process, and take a look of some of the unique handbags she hasn’t chosen to feature on her website – including some darling “pop-art” purses made from onion bags.

The nice thing about these bags is that despite their unique character, it’s easy to see them fitting in with very different personal styles, from artsy-urban to down-home country.  But introverts be warned – it’s hard to imagine going anywhere with a bag like these and not meeting tons of new people just from getting noticed!