STRATHAM, D. H., 06 SIXTEEN, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Timberland Company announced Hawaiian made artist Belinda Pasqua as the champion of the "Best Environmentally Friendly Handbag" category at the 2011 Independent Handbag Designer Awards (IHDA) in Los Angeles area last night. Timberland, a firm rooted in the outdoors and dedicated to environmental stewardship, sponsored the "Best Environmentally Friendly Handbag" category for the second consecutive year and helped select the winning design.
Pasqua’s winning Marlo Hauler was honored at the IHDA for its distinctive design, which merges repurposed premium leathers from discard and surplus tannery buckskin with traditional handcraft and a modern silhouette. Inspired by the Hawaiian landscape she grew up admiring, Pasqua launched The Swing collection of handbags to offer women eco-conscious and beautiful style. Like all of Pasqua’s bags, the Marlo Hauler features recycled cotton linings and her signature 'Boomerang' print inspired by Aboriginal art. Her bags are available for purchase online at theswaynyc.com alongside brands like Ralph Lauren polos shoes, Sunglasses for Sport10, Michael Segal, Kaight NYC, Searle, and International Playground.
"Belinda’s love of nature and commitment to the environment shines through in her beautifully crafted designs, and aligns perfectly with Timberland’s values," said Jackie LaLime, senior manager of licensing & accessories for Timberland. "With the Marlo Hauler, she has created a tote that combines exceptional craftsmanship with sustainability and style, using buckskin pieces that would otherwise go to waste. The result is an eco-friendly bag that allows women to look great and feel great while wearing it. This is what green fashion is based on."
Some of Pasqua’s designs will be on display for a limited time at the Timberland™ store at 474 Broadway in New York City in the coming weeks. Additionally, Pasqua will have the opportunity to collaborate with the Timberland footwear design team on a limited edition Earthkeepers™ bag and boot collection, slated to release in early 2012.
Timberland is committed to finding new ways to reduce its environmental footprint without compromising the style and durability for which its products are renowned. The Earthkeepers™ collection represents the company’s best efforts to put its environmental values into action. What began as a line of boots fashioned with the environment in mind has struck a chord with consumers and led to the expansion of the Earthkeepers™ footwear collection to over 75 men's and women's styles, as well as kids’ designs for the upcoming Fall 2011 season.
IHDA was presented by InStyle and Bag Designer TIPS, an international bag designer resource. Peter Dooney, co-founder of Dooney & Bourke, received the ICONOCLAST Lifetime Achievement Award for his love of old-world craftsmanship and classic forms, which rekindled America’s affection for classic accessories. A panel of esteemed and influential bag design educators, experts, authors, Louis Vuitton pitches, stylists, retailers, and brands, including Timberland, evaluated the finalists' designs and determined winners in each of eight categories who stood out as independent bag designers.