You know the feeling. You’re standing at the cash register in the grocery store and you reach for your reusable grocery bag, only to realize it’s lurking at the bottom of your car right next to your old Vanity Fair magazines and that tube of organic deodorant that doesn’t work.

Further contributing to your RBGS (Reusable Bag Guilt Syndrome), every other customer is calmly loading his or her soy milk into a reusable bag.

But not to worry! We’ve got a line of reusable bags that are not only easy to clean, they are so cute you will never forget them in the car. June Fifteen offers eco-chic reusable bags that “make going green practical and stylish.”

Founder Sandrine Cassidy Schmitt wanted to bring an alternative to the world of paper or plastic. As Sandrine tells it, “I wanted to create a line of reusable bags that would give stores and shoppers incentives to reduce and ultimately replace paper and plastic shopping bags. We aspire to not only make the bags you remember to bring to the check-out counter, but ones that you can use as purses, book bags, beach bags and fashion accessories.”

And remember them you will. June Fifteen bags are adorable. Seriously, you will purposefully forget things at the store just so you can return to show off your bag. They offer tote bags, grocery bags, wine bags and children’s backpacks and are made from renewable jute, rattan cane and cotton. Bags are well-designed with bottle separators, inside-outside pockets, shoulder-length handles, drawstring backpacks and even matching bottle coaster with wine bags. The bags are lined with LDPE (low density polyethylene), a recyclable plastic allowing the bags to be waterproofed, which is great for shopping. And this makes them easier to clean, therefore cutting down on pesky, unwanted microbial guests.

June Fifteen will even make you a custom bag. The bags run around $15 and can be purchased online or at certain California store locations.

We’ve all been there at one point or another, whether our travels have taken us far away for weeks or across town for a night. I’m referring to the moment when we open our luggage to find something gooey has spilled out from the contents of our toiletry or cosmetics bag.

It doesn’t matter how tight I twist or close or tie, the random leak is inevitable. The only sure solution, other than not packing anything at all, is a water-resistant bag. And even better if it’s a recycled bag.

The Feed Bag Cosmetic Kit available at VivaTerra is all that and more. It’s hand-made by workers in Cambodia with recycled feed bags that were once used to store rice through the rainy seasons.

A kit you can trust for travels long or short, the Feed Bag Cosmetic Kit even comes with an organic foot cream, hand cream and bath salts and is on sale for just $19 (from $49)!

You know the feel of your boyfriend’s really worn, totally weathered and super sexy leather jacket? Kinda like butter, right? That’s what I think of when I see the recycled leather handbags by Hoakon/Helga. I think of butter.

Well, not exactly. But Hoakon/Helga bags are really soft and sumptuous to the touch, not to mention ultra-hip and eco-friendly. Handcrafted using vintage and recycled materials, no two bags are the same. Click on any of the designs shown on the website and you’ll get a gander at all the past bags created in that design.

Gone are the days of looking like every other lady with a logomania luxury bag. What a relief!

Another noteworthy fact about these leather bags is their price, which is not only reasonable but remarkable. A mere $85 for the Willow, my current favorite, as well as the Monarda.

So, if you’re intrigued by the repurposed possibilities and are in the market for a handbag, check out the entire Hoakon/Helga collection, and then shop for your favorite at the Etsy store.

When Kerry and Anne Hilton uprooted their lives to help the people of Calcutta, it broke their hearts to witness women selling their bodies just to keep from starving. Appalled that so many souls resort to prostitution as a means of survival, it was clear that they had found their calling.

The Hiltons decided to take advantage of the surplus of jute in West Bengal and pursue what they called “the business of setting people free” with the establishment of Freeset Bags. Here, many troubled victims of the sex trade, lacking even basic sewing skills, went from novices to master artisans with the help of Kerry and Anne. To further support their cause, you can buy their handcrafted totes, slings and messenger bags at Original Good.

A woman’s purse is akin to a man’s tie – add a new one to an old outfit and it’s new once again. Well, almost. But the handbag does add a fresh dash of the different to any simple ensemble.

I don’t need a different handbag for every outfit, but having a handful of options from which to choose is nice. Basic black, navy and brown are important but finding a good eco-friendly bag with a little flair or color or texture is extra special. The Chan Luu Handbag has all those qualities and it’s made with vintage silk fabric.

This purse has class with just a touch of bohemian warmth. The thick upholstery-like fabric has a stitched pattern throughout its mustard yellow base. The ochreb color was the hue for fall, and it isn’t going to go out of fashion any time soon.

Find it at VivaTerra on sale for $198. A matching Clutch is also available, and on sale, for $85.

With just five altruistic souls and a cramped mud-built hut at its start, Teddy Exports was born to humble surroundings. The brainchild of humanitarian Amanda Murphy, this small organization aimed to help local artisans market a variety of crafts, like handbags, key chains, coin purses and totes, around the globe.

Through a lot of hard work and relentless dedication, Teddy Exports has grown to support more than 300 artisans and provide these craftspeople with free healthcare, annual vacations and pensions. This fair trade group also founded the Teddy School, where hundreds of children receive a quality education, and the Teddy Community Health Center, which hosts seminars on sex education and AIDS awareness.

Sometimes my daughter Syd’s drawers smell a bit gamey, like her soccer uniform after a match of  living up to her title as “the finisher”. She’s a darling girl, don’t get me wrong. But she has a frightful habit of  tossing items into her drawers to avoid that exhausting chore of putting them in the hamper. Enter drawer sachets. They give off that happy floral odor that can even compete with dirty socks.

Here are a few nicely packed bundles gathered from from the natural garden.

Show at top, and pretty enough to give as a hostess gift, this lime green natural linen drawer pillow was crafted by graphic designer Lotta Hellberg using safe dyes and aromatic potpourri. $22 for a set of two at Eco Artware.

Lavender is always a draw. Just ask the bees. These Sonoma Lavender sachets from Body and Home are $18 and are wonderful for lingerie drawers.

These Eco Seashell bags from Little Things Favors are not just for the bridal party. They’re Florida Coast fresh and add a delicate scent to the closet. $350 each. And for bringing in the great outdoors (and deterring the moths at the same time) the Natural Wild Herbal sachets at Eco Day Spa are $7.99 and tres outdoorsy.

And yes, we’ve done a zillion posts on a good number of eco-bags but I promise you, we do discriminate. The Bag the Habit bag caught my eye because it’s inexpensive and would make a great stocking stuffer or simple go-green hostess gift during the holiday party season. I also happen to think it’s good looking – which is a big plus – but it isn’t so trendy that next year it’ll look like last year’s bag.

Bag the Habit’s new collection of reusable shopping totes are made with 55% recycled polyester and are completely recyclable. They’re large enough (27.5″ H x 22″ W x 6″ D) and plenty sturdy enough for your weekly trip to the farmers market. The cushioned shoulder straps comfortably help you carry up to 30 lbs. of stuff. And when you aren’t using it, it folds into a sewn-in pocket and snaps shut into a compact 4.5″ x 4.5″ pouch. Water-resistant and available in plum, chocolate and a swirly navy and aqua floral pattern, find it at Bag the Habit’s website for $18, or $45 for three.

They also created a mesh produce bag made of 100% un-dyed and recycled polyester. The standard size works perfectly for bulk items like beans, coffee and oatmeal, and the large for fresh fruit and vegetables. Just think how many baggies and twist ties you’ll avoid! Buy the produce bag individually for $6 and $8, or get a set of 3 for $18 and 6 for $38. Available at Bag the Habit.

Bag the Habit products are sustainably manufactured in fair wage factories in the U.S. and Mexico. And right now you’ll get $2 off your next online purchase if you send Bag the Habit any of your old, worn-out and overused green shopping totes. They accept all brands, types and sizes.

Bag the Habit is indeed a good habit.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, gift giving is the universal spirit of the season. The phones start ringing and everyone wants to know what you want. And suddenly, your mind is a blank slate. It seems the most daunting of tasks to conjure up that one thing you’ve been longing for. But thanks to eco-fashion mailing lists, my inbox does all the thinking for me.

Just the other day, these fabulous Ollie Sang vintage clutches appeared in my email and will most certainly make the perfect present. Made of luxe secondhand silk, each piece is one-of-a-kind with contrasting print and zip pocket inside. By day, by night, or thrown into your weekend bag, these clutches are suitable for all occasions. I love the gold and black version shown here, but they come in an array of colors – from red and navy to charcoal and blue damask – so there’s one for every taste. Available at Coco’s Shoppe eco-boutique.

It’s about this time of year that all the fashion magazines start parading resort collections in our faces. As the temperatures drop and the cold, blustery winds set in, editors tempt us with straw bags, sandals, linen, and barely there bikinis. For those of us lucky enough to be able to afford a tropical eco-getaway in the midst of winter, there is Ann Veronica.

Having just debuted her spring 2009 tote collection, this designer has prints available that can double as both playful resort ware and durable carryall for next season. All of Ann Veronica’s bags are hand-printed and hand-sewn using heavyweight, all-natural, and biodegradable canvas. Try the Butternut Kashmir Cape Elizabeth Commuter to lug your leftover summer reading to the beach or perhaps the Hibiscus Ferry Bag if you’re in a particularly girly mood, and soak up the sun for all of us stuck here in the grey.

Image: thanker212