All I have ever wanted to do is own my own business. Spending my time making pretty things for everyone to enjoy is what I dream about. Sewing, cutting, pasting, painting, building, creating. I love it. And now is the perfect time. Just back from a two month backpacking trip, all through Western Europe and the East Coast my creative energy has been building up and I am now devoted to creating KennaKristine. A business that's Ideals and Values can only be summed up in one way...“One woman's trash is another woman's treasure”.
I have always been appreciating what I have, thinking green, recycling, upcycling, reusing, and reclaiming. The stem of my creativity comes from limited options and supplies. So my theme of appreciating what I have fuels my creativity and everything balances out perfectly.
I spend most of my days in my home studio sewing and fantasizing of the day when KennaKristine will be known world wide as the leader in upcycled fashion. But for now it is just me in my little studio making each handbag and accessory, one of a kind, just for you.
Why Handbags? Why Accessories?
I have decided to create handbags and accessories because no matter who you are, or what size you are, a handbag or an accessory will always fit. I love clothing and fashion, always have and always will. It is the way a person tells their story. You see right away how that person views themselves, who they are, who they want to be. So for now it is handbags and accessories and as for the future, I have a few ideas. Lets just say my love for shoes might be an indicator of what is to come.
Why I Upcycle...
All KennaKristine Handbags and Accessories are upcycled. This is a process of recycling what otherwise would be waste and reconstructing it into something higher in value.
Why is this important?
Think of all the waste we create by making something new. Take clothing manufacturers for example. Every year, more than 20 million tons of post-consumer textiles go to waste. Every week, the average textile factory produces 60,000 pounds of pre-consumer waste. Every day, piles of excess fabric cuttings in landfills grow higher. This includes sustainable clothing as well.
Sustainable Fashion:
Those Organic cotton T's you feel so great about wearing? Well it takes about 400 gallons of water to make just one. The Denim Jeans you love so much? They take about 1800 gallons. Shocked? I am. Supporting sustainable fashion is great. It is much better than traditional manufacturing. But when you break it down it still is not the best way to go.
Zero-Waste Fashion:
This new up and upcoming trend is a process of making a garment leaving no scraps behind. All materials are used and zero waste goes into a land fill. Great option if you have to have something new.
Vegan Leather:
Compared to PVC vinyl and traditional leather, Polyurethane faux leather, is made using a greener process. PVC vinyl contains chloride and does not biodegrade. It leaches toxic additives in landfills and emits carcinogenic dioxin when incinerated. Traditional leather production is linked to large amounts of water pollution from waste, and the process of tanning uses numerous chemicals, including heavy metals. Naturally soft and flexible, polyurethane faux leather does not require the solvents used for softening PVC vinyl and leather. Comparatively, polyurethane is much more environmentally friendly. Also the polyurethane faux leathers I am featuring use polymer resin that is biodegradable.
Eco-Fi Fabric:
A little better than Zero-waste. Eco-Fi fabric is made from plastic bottles. Yes the ones you so fashionably toted around a few years ago. The ones in the landfills. Eco-Fi takes those plastic bottles right back out of the landfill and turns them in to several kinds of fabric for many different uses. Again the process of making the fabric creates a drain on the Eco-system, but this is balanced out by the emptying of landfills factor.
The best for last...
Upcycled Fashion:
Using waste and not creating more waste, or using a substantial amount of energy?!! How could it get any better? Bonus! Feel good about what you are buying and wearing. Know that you are making a difference. Double bonus!! Save some cash. Make your own upcyced fashion. Your closet is full of possibilities.
My goal at KennaKristine is to change the way people think about what they have. Also to learn along with everyone ways to appreciate what we already have. What you have can also be what you want.
KennaKristine Customer's
My customers are frustrated with the high price point and limited selection of eco-friendly fashion. They want to be inspired. They want to feel great about what they are wearing. They want to feel fun, youthful, and responsible. Our customers want to be their own person, stand out, and inspire change in others.
Straight from the costumers mouth...
I am so incredibly excited for this gorgeous girl, Kenna Kristine. She has a truly unique sense of style and purpose with her beautiful and very proudly wearable products. I have watched her gain the expertise in this field since she attended FIDM in San Francisco. I believe the world and her institute of training and knowledge will appreciate her conscious contribution! Watch for this awesome new young hip talent as she is a recycling, restoring, recreating post consumer resource fashion designer and is a trail blazes for the future. Her branding is brilliant and bound for greatness because it is for the greater good. xo
-Madonna B.
12/12/09
LOVE IT!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! BAG IS PERFECT IN EVERYWAY!
I'M GLAD ILL BE DIFFERENT THAN THE REST ND WEARING
SOMETHING RECYCLED, THANK YOU, ONCE AGAIN I LOVE IT.
-jenmb
12.04.2009
“ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!
I LOVE THIS BAG!!!!
it is beautiful, and perfect, and fabulous, and delicious, and gorgeous!!!
I could not be MORE HAPPY!!!
it is so so so perfect for everyday or weekend or travel or stay at home and look at it...ha! it's amazing!
wonderful communication, fast shipping..
you do SUCH pretty and glam and detailed work!
i am officially in love with my Weekender Hobo!! (and yup, KISS will be too) teehee.
Also, the thank you card was SO sweet and personalized, and what a great idea to do a feedback form!!
i cant wait to get back in your shop!!!
thank you so much!!!
peace and light...
em :)”
-BanjoBaySoaps
Waynesboro, NJ
10/10/2009
“Simply fabulous!”
-Chicktweets
Berkeley, CA
8/01/2009
“This has been a great shopping experience. KennaKristine makes such cool, hip stuff. I've received a lot of compliments already on my new weekender handbag.”
-Northerndirectional
Concord,CA
7/20/2009