Ring in the New Year with Bamboo

Wear your conscious this New Years Eve. Buy eco..... be eco and promote eco friendly and recycled items by showing this bamboo 'new years eve' clutch! Our best selling jeweled bamboo clutch is available for just $20 at five ACCESSORIES or at our local retail space at 5247 N Clark St. in Chicago, IL. Post a note on our facebook fan page saying you got one and we will send you a 75% discount code for your next purchase.

Eco Gifts Socially Conscious Gift Ideas

Still looking for that perfect eco friendly AND socially conscious gift. Check out five ACCESSORIES where you can find great bamboo jewelry for just $10 or wallets with key rings for just $18. If you are in a rush, look at the Gift Certificate Tab for a printable instant gift certificate. An email will automatically be sent to you or the gift recipient.

Go green and do something good for someone this holiday season.

Techno-Savvy Fashionista

Our team here at five ACCESSORIES believes that this holiday season women are going to be looking for fashionableiPad accessories and we have just what they are looking for! This shoulder bag comes in six trendy new colors. It not only has a large inside storage area, but also a zippered pocket as well as a two open divided front pockets making it great for organizing keys, wallet and makeup. In addition to these organizing pockets, it has two roomy outside pockets that can carry your iPod or iPhone and pocket size headphones. The perfect solution to every techno-savvy fashionista!

My iPad Shoulder Bag

Sitting in the park reading on your iPad? Walking through town with your new iPad? Commuting to class carrying your iPad? Taking the bus downtown for work with your iPad? There are so many on the go ways to carry your iPad. Now all you need is the perfect shoulder bag. With convenient pockets and compartments it will keep your iPad safe as you commute around the city, at the park, to class, to downtown or on the subway. Available at five ACCESSORIES for just $45. Makes a great fair trade green gift idea for the holidays.

Eco Computer Bags to match your school spirit

Match your bag with your environmental style. Be mindful. Use recycled material to look fashionable. A recent college student at NorthPark University in Chicago purchased this yellow computer bag to match her school colors. She is looking into placing her college letters on the bag to show her school spirit.

Thanks for showing support of five ACCESSORIES' social enterprise with your purchase!!

Eco Friendly Key Chain

Be Eco, Be Small, Be Fashionable. A socialite purchased our recycled netting key chain to use when she hits the town. It fits her iPhone, credit cards, keys and one tube of lip stick. All she needs for her night out. And, she is supporting women in Cambodia with her style!

Perfect compliment to the black or brown suit

A local business women purchased this mother of pearl bracelet made in Bali as the perfect compliment to the brown and/or black business suit. At $10 from our Bali Collection, she has gotten so many compliments on this eco-friendly item. She then purchased several more from our Andersonville Galleria shop as perfect green gifts for her girlfriends.

A Mother Found the Perfect Birthday Party Gift

A local mother was looking for the perfect gift to give away at her daughter's 9th grade birthday party as party gifts. She wanted to be eco, she wanted something cute, she wanted something practical that the girls would wear. She found it with this ribbon bracelet made from recycled pop tops which make the best Green Gifts.

Eco Wristlet

Just what you need for a night out. A cream wristlet handmade from coconut shells from our Bali Collection. A percentage of sales goes to support school children and at risk families in Bali, Indonesia with the sale of this eco friendly designer handbag. This eco bag makes the perfect green gift for your girlfriend's birthday party.

Be Eco, Be Fair Trade

Recycled mosquito netting! Cleaned, dyed and handmade by our Cambodian Business Partners. Over 45 women and families have been employed to handmake these customized eco bags. Inquire at www.fiveaccessories.com on how we can put your logo or image on a variety of styles ranging from key chains, duffle bags to backpacks.

Bamboo Bags are Back

Eco friendly bamboo bags are back in fashion. With dark black bamboo slats, this perfect eco friendly designer handbag goes with so many outfits. The handles fit perfectly over the shoulder with any fall outfit. Look good and feel good with these eco handbags.

Back to School Eco Backpack

Still looking for the perfect bag for your school books! Why not be eco friendly and show something that is recycled and fair trade. These new bags made from recycled netting in a fair trade cooperative in Cambodia have an inside padded lining for a computer or your books. Wutg two side by side inside pockets and a zipper pocket to keep all your supplies. They have a cord to place your key chain on. We have thought of everything!

Isn't this what life is all about......

Relationships! Relationships! Relationships! It touched my heart to see how five ACCESSORIES brought two people from different backgrounds together for the summer. Ivory is a mother of 5 children living on the S. Side of Chicago and Emily is a college student living on the NW side of Chicago. This picture was taken at the end of the Renegade Craft Fair Festival in wicker park this past weekend where we sold our eco friendly designer handbags and other green handmade gifts. As they turned to leave, they put their arms around each other. I had to make them turn back for a photo.

Lollapalooza in Chicago

Lollapalooza in Chicago! Great support from Lolla fans who were interested in our eco-friendly Cambodia collection such as the off the shoulder recycled mosquito netting bag. Great for walking long distances, a fair trade purchase as well as a stylish and comfortable bag. We handed out cards to shop online to receive free shipping by entering “LOLLA” as the discount code. Offer still available for a limited time. Make sure to check out our website at http://www.fiveaccessories.com/ to check out our socially conscious and eco-friendly handbags as well as our jewelry & more! Lolla fans that are as proud of the city as we are will be very interested in our ‘Off the Street’ collection cleaned and handmade by local Streetwise Vendors. A great Chicago green gift! Such great finds include out recycled CTA transit card picture frames. I mean let’s try to think how many transit cards must have been used to transport all Lollapalooza goers? I’m sure millions! Why not recycle those into a great and unique Chicago gift!

How and where do Coconut Trees Grow? Coconut trees are very hard to establish in dry climates, and cannot grow there without frequent irrigation; in drought conditions, the new leaves do not open well, and older leaves may become desiccated; fruit also tends to be shed. Coconut palms are grown in more than 80 countries of the world, with a total production of 61 million tonnes per year. In fact, behind the Philippines, Indonesia is the second largest producer of coconut trees with over 15 million tonnes per year.

Want a coconut clutch? Try our new wristlet from our Bali Collection made from coconut trees. Only $15 it is the perfect eco friendly gift idea from our eco friendly designer handbags.

Perfect bag to fit the new iPad

I’m sure all of you have heard of Apple’s newest technological masterpiece, the iPad. With its lightweight and rectangular display, there simply is nothing an iPad can’t do. Photos, Searching the web, Word documents, YouTube, Facebook, Video, Music, you name it, I’m sure the I Pad has it. The one downside of the multi-use I Pad is its unusual size. A large tote might damage the screen and it is sure not to fit in a small clutch.

But wait! five ACCESSORIES has a solution! Our shoulder bags are not only a great style, coming in a variety of different exuberant colors, it also is the perfect fit for the new iPad! These bags are fair trade and eco-friendly and are made from recycled mosquito netting in Cambodia, not to mention a very comfortable fit over the shoulder with adjustable straps! So, if you’re looking for a nice-looking, bag for your new iPad, visit us at www.fiveaccessories.com and take a look at our shoulder bags today!

Eco Friendly Bottle Cap Jewelry

Chief biologists approximate 4,840 pounds of bottle caps are mistaken for food by Albatrosses and brought to the island of Midway (located off the Hawaiian Islands) each year by the birds. Bottle caps like the ones off the water bottles you buy and throw away. These are not washed up on shore; they are mistaken for or attached to food for the young birds.

Recycle your bottle caps. five ACCESSORIES is turning these items into eco-friendly jewlery. Pictured is a custom flower design in the three bottle caps used for this barrette. Now we just need to recycle 4,837 more

Eco friendly natural material in fashion

Wicker is a natural material made out of different wood. The most commonly used wood is rattan, cane and bamboo. Rattan is more of a solid vine, unlike bamboo which is hollow and cane is actually the stem of the larger rattan trees. Because these trees are not not in scarce demand, it makes them a good eco-friendly resource.

Being socially conscious, five ACCESSORIES uses a wicker source from the country of Bali. Local Balinese artisans handcraft a number of wicker handbags for us, enabling us to provide an excellent eco-friendly product. Featured below are our four wicker handbags. These bags are 50% off through Labor Day at the Andersonville Galleria located at 5247 N Clark St. in Chicago, IL.

Edens Park Farmer's Market

five ACCESSORIES is proud to support the Eden Place Farmers Market at Fuller Park every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Not only does this farmers market provide a great variety of fresh produce, flowers, arts & crafts, music and more, it also provides a great sense of community and support. Don’t miss your chance to attend this Saturday, August 28th, for many interesting events are occurring!

For starters, the Green Fashion Show, see the best of recycled and refurbished fashions! Youth Choirs will also be performing, and a green cooking presentation. However, probably the most exciting of all is White House officials will be attending! Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the community, meet neighbors, learn how to be green, and meet staff from the White House! Just think, they know Obama, how cool is that?

Also, check out five ACCESSORIES, maybe someone from the White House will be interested in a bamboo bag? Maybe the messenger bags? Don’t miss out on the great opportunity!

New Messenger Bag to Support 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 eco-friendly handbags. As pictured, the new shoulder bag made in Cambodia from five ACCESSORIES. Available in late April in colors of Green, Black, Grey, Yellow, Copper and Blue for $45.

Summer in Chicago at Street Fests

The Roscoe Burger Fest was not only a very tasty and delicious festival, with a variety of different burgers, it was a great opportunity to have stopped by and grab an eco-friendly designer handbag. Teaming up with Recycle Me, we had a great time talking to interested passer-bys about our eco-friendly and fair trade products we are proud to sell at five ACCESSORIES. We learned that our product make people feel good, because not only are they purchasing a cute, and trendy handbag or necklace, they are helping people oversees and possibly providing opportunities that people in Cambodia or Bali thought unimaginable.

Just a reminder that we will be at Uncommon Ground Farmers Market on Devon and Glenwood every Friday from 4p.m.-8p.m. If you were unable to visit us at the other festivals, this is a great way opportunity to stop by!

Andersonville Galleria in Chicago

five ACCESSORIES is proud as a small eco-friendly, socially conscious business, to have a retail space in the Andersonville Galleria. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this very unique place, the Galleria is a retail market building that features over 90 tenants that offer a variety of merchandise such as jewelry, art, clothing, food and more! At the heart of Andersonville, you simply can’t miss this retail haven. Great sales on eco-friendly designer handbags for a limited time too! Why not take a shopping trip with family, friends, or a stress-reliving trip alone and venture in to the Andersonville Galleria. Don’t forget to stop by the five ACCESSORIES booth! The Andersonville Galleria is located on 5247 N. Clark Street in Chicago, IL 60640.

Every Friday there is a Farmers Market at Uncommon Ground located on Devon and Glenwood in Chicago. It is a great opportunity to meet neighbors, perfect for families, and also a great market with a variety of organic foods, eco-friendly jewelry and much more! Bring the kids for some fun sing-a-longs and face painting while you come to the five ACCESSORIES to get great deals on our Jewelry and Purses! Jewelry SALE 3 items for $25 (Normally necklaces alone are $15 each, bracelets, earrings and rings are $10) what a deal!

Also, $10 off on entire eco friendly handbags from our Bali bamboo collection! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity and visit Uncommon Ground on Friday from 4p.m.-8p.m. Hope to see you there!

A Socially Conscious Mission

About five ACCESSORIES

Thank you for your continued support of our mission: to create income generating programs for individuals in need, donate a large portion of our sales to worthy charitable causes and foster the use of sustainable material in fashion.

Customized Recycled Gifts

Our new newspaper picture frames can be personalized to include sports, weather, comic or specif recycled papers with your logo or theme on them. Comes with the hangtag featuring the picture and story of the individual in Chicago who handmade them (most of our participants in our Off The Street Program were formerly homeless).

Please inquire about custom orders at 312.504.3483.

What is Fair Trade?

Perhaps you have heard the term. Fair Trade is a business model centered around providing a living wage for producers, safe and empowering working conditions, and environmentally friendly practices. Fair Trade companies help individuals in Third World Countries or Developing Areas to lift themselves out of poverty, invest in their communities, protect the environment, and develop skills necessary to compete in a global environment. If you would like to learn more about Fair Trade please visit the Fair Trade Federation or Chicago Fair Trade.

Green Music Fest

Green Music Fest in Chicago was last weekend. There were lots of eco friendly events and great music such as The Wailers. We had fun promoting our hand-made, fair trade bamboo and coconut purses and our eco-friendly jewelry, picture frames, and much more! Many people were interested in hearing about how fair trade works and why it is important. Come by next Friday to Uncommon Ground from 4:00 p.m. to 8p.m.

Working for a Cleaner Environment in Bali

Supporting programs working towards a cleaner environment is our goal at five ACCESSORIES. When we source our eco friendly designer handbags we strive to partner with locals that meet that same goal. Our natural handbags made by our Bali Partners do just that.

The Jakarta Post in March 2010 stated that Denpassar was developing a sanitation program in a bid to promote a cleaner environment. Denpasar Environmental Agency head A.A. Bagus Sudharsana said the sanitation program covered on-site and out-site integrated waste management, household garbage management and reforestation campaign.
The on-site waste management aims to manage domestic and small-scale industrial waste in a number of areas categorized as densely populated areas, through the community-based sanitation (Sanimas) program

Fair Trade Conference 2010

Do you want to learn more about fair trade? Attend this year's Fair Trade Conference in September in Boston, MA. The event is brought to you by The Fair Trade Federation. Here are 5 reasons to attend:

5. Learn how to bring more Fair Trade into your Life, Town, and Business

4. Meet face-to-face with the Fair Trade Artisans and Farmers behind cool Products

3. Build Relationships with the larger Fair Trade Community

2. Pick up practical advice that's tailored to your needs as an Activist, Entrepreneur, Student, etc

1. Be a part of history! Futures Conferences only happen every five years - don't wait to be a part of this growing movement for change!

Recycled bags made in Cambodia

Conserving the natural resources by recycling products to produce commerce is a priority to our partners in Cambodia. The bags from the five ACCESSORIES' Cambodia line are made from recycled plastic mosquito netting that locals originally used to protect livestock, safety netting and brick layers used as a sand sieve. The material is washed and cleaned to be made into the eco friendly designer handbags available at http://www.fiveaccessories.com/

Empowering Women in India

five ACCESSORIES is partnering with MarketPlace of India to support fair trade co-ops in India make fair trade handbags from India. Please read about how we are helping to shape lives outside Mumbia, India.

'By building and running their own businesses, the women learn valuable skills and are able to earn a living to support their families. Additional programs support the women by offering education and enrichment opportunities. The aim is to empower these women to overcome personal, cultural and financial obstacles and achieve success. Empowered with independence and self-confidence, they can take active roles in shaping their own lives as well as their families and communities.

Their communities benefit, as well. Leadership-building initiatives and decision-making in the workplace have given the artisans the tools and confidence to become social activists. They have tackled such problems as lack of clean water, corrupt shopkeepers, insufficient garbage collection, poor health information and domestic violence. The business itself is a means to an end, a vehicle for social change. And women are excellent agents of change, reshaping lives and cultures, and ensuring that improvements live on through the next generation'

Chicago Green Festival & WCIU TV

This is a recent WCIU TV segment about five ACCESSORIES Eco Friendly Designer Handbags and Eco Friendly Accessories in celebration of Chicago's Green Festival. Also pictured with the OTS picture frames is one of our eco-friendly handbags - a grey messenger bag made from repurposed mosquito netting, which is a part of our Cambodia line.





http://www.wciu.com/youandme.php?section=home&assetID=10002274

10 Reasons To Attend Green Festival Chicago
10 REASONS TO ATTENDGREEN FESTIVAL CHICAGO

1. Reduce, reuse and repurpose.Get the best methods and tools for reducing your home and business waste, conserve resources, source reusable products and repurpose all that stuff you’ve stored away.

2. Learn what new green careers await you.Keep you and your family secure by finding your career in the green economy.

3. Get fueled with healthy food for body and mind!Discover the health benefits for you and your family by making the right food choices without sacrificing great taste and your budget.

4. Live lighter with a smaller and greener footprint.Find sustainable woods, organic cottons and repurposed and recycled materials that are perfect for your home, wardrobe or backyard. Hear from experts on how living lighter helps protect, conserve and preserve our communities and the planet.

5. Find out how to make your home toxin-free!Your next spring-cleaning can be just the time to create a healthier and safer home. Learn how to eliminate those chemicals that make the air inside your home toxic—from furnishings and carpets to paints and cleaners.

6. Bring the family and inspire the kids.Delightful surprises await families at the Green Kids' Zone. Around every corner, cool products, green schools and fun workshops will inspire your family.

7. Learn to leverage social media to create social good!Social networking, blogs, twitter, video… Learn how to leverage the power of social media for social good.

8. Make your home energy efficient.Put money back in the bank with the latest information on home and commercial energy efficiency and conservation techniques.

9. Beautify yourself without harmful toxins.Green Festival has vendors that only use certified organic ingredients in their body care products. From moisturizers to shampoos to makeup, you will find personal care products that provide beauty and good health, both inside and out.

10. Become conscientious about your consumption.Do good by supporting sustainable companies passionate about people- and planet-friendly products and services. Green Festival's marketplace is the place to find responsible businesses and organization located right in your community.

And lastly, buy eco friendly handbags from five ACCESSORIES.

May 22-23, 2010
Saturday – 10am – 7pmSunday – 11am – 6pm
Navy Pier600 E Grand AvenueChicago, IL 60611

World Fair Trade Day

On May 7, 2010 in Chicago's Daley Plaza, The City of Chicago and Chicago Fair Trade will host a green shopping event consisting of the 26 vendos. In recognition of World Fair Trade Day, come out and support your favorite socially conscious company by purchasing an eco friendly hand bag or eco friendly purse. five ACCESSORIES will be featuring their recycled picture frames handmade by Chicago's StreetWise vendors.

Charitable Giving

Getting back to our basics..... appreciating what we have.......giving to others. In this economy, many people are understanding the importance of charitable giving. At five ACCESSORIES, we have made charitable giving a cornerstone of our company. We give $5 from each retail handbag sale and 15% of other sales to a worthy charitable endeavor in the locale where our product was handmade.

Pictured is Nadya Nirvanda from Karangasem (East Bali). She is 15 years old and in her third year of Junior High School at SMPN VIII DENPASAR. The cost of school for one semester is $270. Through the sale of our eco friendly handbags, five ACCESSORIES is pleased to announce that we are supporting her schooling for the spring 2010 semester.

Bamboo Bling

What is bamboo.... group of perennial evergreen (except for certain temperate species) plants in the true grass family Poaceae. (according to wikipedia).

What is bling.... putting style on a bamboo purse.

Want to be own a eco friendly purse. Check out these and more at five ACCESSORIES.

Eco-Friendly & Recycled Jewelry

Chief biologists approximate 4,840 pounds of bottle caps are mistaken for food by Albatrosses and brought to the island of Midway (located off the Hawaiian Islands) each year by the birds. Bottle caps like the ones off the water bottles you buy and throw away. These are not washed up on shore; they are mistaken for or attached to food for the young birds.

Recycle your bottle caps. five ACCESSORIES is turning these items into eco-friendly jewlery. Pictured is a custom flower design in the three bottle caps used for this barrette. Now we just need to recycle 4,837 more.

Eco Friendly Handbags

Be fashionable, be fair trade, be green. Check out the new bamboo bags from five ACCESSORIES. Made by fair trade standards in Bali, Indonesia and given fashion forward style by The Students at The Illinois Institute of Art.

Support Green

The Northwest Side Green Festival was a success. Pictured was the five ACCESSORIES booth at the Chicago festival Saturday, April 10th. For a complete list of upcoming Green Festivals in the Chicago area please visit the Events Tab of our website http://www.fiveaccessories.com/.

-Northwest Side Green Fest6040 W. Ardmore,Chicago, IL 60646Saturday, April 10, 20109:30 am to 4:00 pm
-Loyola Eco FairSaturday, April 17th1 to 3:00 pm
-Roosevelt University Fair Trade Bazaar Thursday, April 22, 201010 am to 3 pm430 S Michigan Ave.Chicago, IL 60605
-Columbia CollegeThursday, April 22, 201010 am to 3 pm600 S. Michigan AvenueChicago, Illinois 60605
-The Morton ArboretumGreen Shopping EventApril 24th and 25th4100 Illinois Route 53Lisle, IL 60532-1293
-City of Chicago- Fair Trade Day at Daley Plazain promotion with Chicago Fair TradeFriday, May 7th8:00 am to 5:00 pmDaley Plaza- Downtown Chicago
-Navy Pier - Green FestivalGreat Ballroom at Navy PierChicago, ILMay 22nd and 23rd , 2010(** biggest event of the spring)
-DePaul University Oxfam Fair Trade EventLincoln Park Campus- central quad Tuesday, May 25th10 am to 5 pm

Wicker Handbags & TheLittlePinkBook

Looking for a dose of carer widson delivered daily. Sign up to receive the Little Pink Book email. five ACCESSORIES is happy to support Cynthia Good and her efforts to promote women based business owners, fair trade and eco-friendly items. In fact, Cynthia raves about her wicker waves handbag from five ACCESSORIES.

Pink Conference

Pink Magazine hosted their 4th Annual Fall Empowerment Series Conference in Chicago. five ACCESSORIES was pleased to be a sponsor and support great organizations such as the American Heart Association as pictured above by donating one of our eco chic handbags to their annual benefit. five ACCESSORIES is proud to present Nancy Brown, co-founder of the American Heart Association, with a special fair trade and eco friendly conference gift.

New Handbags Made by Women's Co-Op in India

Our new Deppa Bags from India will arrive the last week of March. Handmade by a woman's fair trade co-operative out of organic cotton using a block stamp custom design. The over the shoulder purse is great for work folders, gym clothes or a diaper bag. Please check out our new handbag selection at our retail space located in The Andersonville Galleria at 5247 N Clark St. in Chicago, IL.

Win a FIVE gift

In this economy, getting something good for free is great. five ACCESSORIES believes in making people Look Good and Feel Good by giving away a free purse and/or jewelry item each quarter. Please sign up via the website fiveACCESSORIES.com and look for our newsletter to let you know if you won. The next drawing is set to come out in March 2010.

Eco Friendly Bamboo Bags

Looking to stock up on eco friendly handbags or jewelry made out of Bamboo. Look no further than five ACCESSORIES and their best selling line of bamboo clutches from Bali, Indonesia. Eco fashion meets reasonable prices meets good causes (as FIVE dollars is donated back to help schoolchildren continue their education in Bali).

Look Good and Feel Good at five ACCESSORIES.

Be Green for Valentine's Day

Looking for the perfect Socially Conscious Valentine's Day Gift from the heart..... MADE FROM Chicago recycled material such as transit cards and ticket stubs MADE BY local folks that have been formerly homeless.

Please consider our Recycled Picture Frame. Through our income generating program we have been able to employ five StreetWise Vendors in 2009. Please let us know if you have interest in customizing the triangle piece for fundraising events, weddings or corporate gifts.

All frames have the picture, signature and location where the StreetWise vendor (aka. artist) sells their newspaper.