Rothy's New Bags Are Made From Ocean-Bound Plastic

Bag, Handbag, Red, Fashion accessory, Luggage and bags, Tote bag, Leather,

(Image credit: Rothy's)

published March 4, 2020

In their biggest product news of the year, Rothy's, the brand known for their sustainable shoes, is debuting a line of...bags!
The brand is beloved by many, including celebrities like Katie Holmes and Meghan Markle.
ICYMI, Rothy's brand story is incredible.

This is huge, huge news: Rothy's, best known for their sustainable shoes made out of thread from water bottles, just had their biggest new product launch of the year. And it's bags, you guys.

Rothy's The Essential Tote

There are seven styles, and five silhouettes (with a variety of price points, many of which are affordable): the Essential Tote, the Handbag, the Essential Pouch, the Dual-Zip Crossbody, and The Catchall in large, mid, and mini. Like its shoes, the signature blue thread is visible somewhere on the bag (in the tote, it's up by the rim), and a number of them have gorgeous contrast stripes and colors. The bags are also, if their shoes are any indication, durable. (I wear mine all the time and they haven't started to fray one bit.)

Along with their traditional thread, Rothy's has blended in thread from marine plastic "collected within 30 miles of coastlines and marine environments." Considering the challenging problem of plastics in our oceans, this feels particularly mindful.

True to form, the bags are as luxurious as their shoes (seriously, you'd never know they're made out of plastic water bottles) and—get this—fully machine washable.

Rothy's The Handbag

I think of all of them, the one I'm most excited to try first is the handbag in poppy or grey—I don't have something of that style (and one of the tenets of sustainable fashion is that you build a small wardrobe with classic, long-lasting pieces you'll wear for years). Honestly, though, the tote in desert sand is also just so pretty and feminine. The pouch feels like a nice fit for slipping in a phone, credit card, and keys to head out for the night. Although, who am I kidding—I would definitely put more in there.

More product images below for you/me to ogle as I debate exactly what to put in my shopping cart.

Clothing, Red, Shoulder, Fashion, Orange, Summer, Joint, Bag, Handbag, Photography,

Yellow, Shoulder, Beauty, Neck, Joint, Photography, Fashion accessory, Reading,

Clothing, Dress, Red, Fashion model, Shoulder, Photo shoot, Beauty, Long hair, Blond, Orange,

Ugh, so luscious, I can't stand it!

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.