Popular Recycled Handbag Line Expands: Half the Sky Designs' Rebagz Announces New Styles, More Stores, Greater

LOS ANGELES, CA, Aug 05 (MARKET WIRE) --
Half the Sky Designs announced today that several new styles have been
added to the company's eco-chic Rebagz(TM) line, including the Pop Top
Bag, Life is a Circle Bag and Laptop Carrier. These vivid handbags, which
have made an economic impact along with their forward-looking effects on
fashion and the environment, are handwoven using recycled juice packs or
they are stitched together from artfully cut recycled nylon rice sacks to
make stylish backpacks, totes, clutches and more. New prints for the rice
sack handbags include "Golden Fortune," "Sun Rice" and "Lion," which
adorn new and classic Rebagz silhouettes alike.

As Rebagz become increasingly popular with celebrities like Angelina Jolie
and Brad Pitt, America Ferrera, Heidi Klum, Halle Berry, Sheryl Crow and
Serena Williams, Half the Sky Designs continues to maintain their prices
as well as quality of design in today's challenging economy. "We want to
keep our prices reasonable because that generates volume which, in turn,
creates jobs," said Marty Stevens-Heebner, founder and president of Half
the Sky Designs.

According to the Washington Post, poverty rates in the Philippines are
among the highest in Asia, and that's where Half the Sky has its handbags
made. "Forty percent of Filipinos -- more than 30 million people -- live
in abject poverty," reports the BBC News Channel. Stevens-Heebner, a
former human rights worker, does her part to fight against this statistic
by ensuring that the people who make Rebagz are paid fairly and treated
well. Her aptly named company references the adage, "Women hold up half
the sky," paying homage to the many women who work with Half the Sky
Designs.

The economic impact that Half the Sky Designs is making in the Philippines
is exemplified by Flor, a Filipino woman who began sewing handbags for
Half the Sky one year ago, saved the money she earned and invested it in
four used sewing machines. As a result, she now runs her own sewing
business. Her work with Half the Sky Designs has not only helped her, but
she is now able to help others in her small community as well.

Rebagz are now sold in 245 stores on three continents, which has created
jobs for people in Los Angeles, too. "We owe our growth and success to our
wonderful customers, and our customers like the fact that they're helping
other people and the environment when they buy our bags, as well as
getting a handbag that makes people stop and ask them, 'Where'd you get
that bag?!'" Stevens-Heebner said. Half the Sky's company philosophy
includes the idea that as Stevens-Heebner explained, "Everyone's
connected -- from the recyclers who collect our juice packs and rice
sacks to the women who wear our beautiful bags, and we want them all to
feel like they're benefiting. You can't really be eco-friendly if you're
not human-friendly as well. Anything else is just last-century thinking."

Rebagz are sold in stores throughout North America, Central America and
Europe, and distribution continues to expand. Rebagz range in price from
$15 to $150. For more information and additional styles visit
www.rebagz.com or call 818-376-0125.

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