Feel free to use our various press releases that we have prepared. If you need printable high resolution images please contact Larry Duprey info@bazurashop.com . Bazurabags are also available for photo shoots. High resolution photography by Sarie Santiago of the coop and its members will also be available.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Katie LeBel, Planet Friendly Public Relations 207-563-7695
katie@planetfriendlypr.com

NEW BAZURA BAG COLLECTIONS HELP SUSTAIN WOMEN'S CO-OP AND SUPPORT FAIR TRADE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Peterborough, Ontario (February 2008) - Bazura Biz, a Canadian company that designs and sells stylish and eco-friendly bags and accessories, is helping sustain a Women's Co-Op in the Philippines that makes the majority of their products with exciting new line extensions. In addition to the popular one-of-a kind Bazura Bags and accessories they have been making from used, colorful and non biodegradable juice containers that would otherwise clutter landfills, fields and streets of their community, the Co-Op is now creating bags made from recycled rice bags and advertising banners.
The incorporation of new sources of waste into production of the Bazura Bags, gives the Co-Op the variety they need to help drive sales and therefore increase and sustain production. "Since the main focus of the Women's Co-Op is to give gainful employment to their many members, the sustainability of orders is their highest priority," says Bazura Biz founder Larry Duprey. "Increased sales drive the necessity to acquire more waste materials for production which is good for the less fortunate, but empowered women of the Co-Op and great for the environment," adds Duprey.
Seven years ago with only the help of the local village council, six Filipino women set up the Co-Op which has grown to include over 800 members today. More than half of the members work full time at the Co-Op which pays school children to collect over 50,000 used juice containers per day. They are washed, sanitized and recycled into a wide variety of fashionable and durable bags, accessories, home furnishings and even footwear that are exported and sold in over 15 countries around the world.
On a recent visit to the Co-Op in the Philippines, Duprey also established a new Scholarship Fund that will help aid children of the women members with their post-secondary education. Bazura Biz has pledged to pay 5% of its total purchases on a yearly basis. In addition, Duprey is trying to encourage buyers of the Co-Op's other products to help him build the fund.
The new Rice Bag line includes a Rice Tote Bag, Rice-Doy Tote Bag, Rice Lipstick Bag and Rice Messenger Bags that are made from re-used rice bags that are collected from local households by school age children. These colorful rice bags are extremely durable and often feature interesting prints.
Bazura Biz first sourced used advertising banners for their products from Vietnam, then introduced the concept to the Co-Op to the delight of the women who discovered that the Philippines is full of used banners that are discarded in landfills after advertising campaigns are completed. The new Banner Bag line, made from recycled Filipino advertising banners, consists of a Banner Messenger Bag, Banner Shoulder Bag, Banner Shopper Bag and a Banner Cosmetic Bag.
Unlike the bags and accessories created from the recycled juice containers, the new Rice Bags and Banner Bags are lined with pre-consumer waste that consists of heavy aluminum foil from juice containers which make the bags more durable and gives them a better finish. Duprey plans to roll out new styles for both collections over the next several months.
Prices for both new collections, which will be available for purchase in April, range from $6.95 to $34.95. All styles will be available in a selection of appealing colors at stores in the US and Canada and online at www.bazurashop.com.
By transforming "basura", the Filipino word for garbage, into unique collections of eco-chic bags and other accessories, Bazura Bags keep millions of juice containers and tons of pre-consumer waste out of crowded landfills and conserves resources that would be used to make products from virgin materials. The company is committed to giving garbage a new life as fashionable new bags and accessories that support the environment and fair trade.

"Unlike most third world factory workers toiling away in sweatshops, these women are entrepreneurs and shareholders," says Larry Duprey, the founder of Bazura Biz. "They work for themselves and have a positive impact on their community and, at the same time, they encourage environmentalism. We are proud to promote their enterprise," adds Duprey.
BAZURA BIZ
757 Park Street South • Peterborough, Ontario • Canada K9J 3T5 • www.bazurashop.com

Toronto, Ontario (September 2007) - Bazura Biz is pleased to announce the launch of another new collection of stylish and eco-friendly bags made by a women's cooperative in the Philippines. The new Woven Bag collection adds glamour to recycled goods while helping to clean the environment and supporting the livelihood of less fortunate, but empowered women and their families.
With only the help of the local village council, six Filipino women set up the Co-Op which has grown to include over 800 members today. Since its founding eight years ago, the women have been utilizing used, colorful and non biodegradable juice containers that would otherwise clutter landfills, fields and streets of their community, to create one-of-a kind Bazura Bags.
More than half of the members work full time at the Co-Op which pays school children to collect over 50,000 used juice containers per day. They are washed, sanitized and recycled into a wide variety of fashionable and durable bags, accessories, home furnishings and even footwear that are exported and sold in over 15 countries around the world.
Unlike the bags and accessories created from the recycled juice containers, the new Woven Bags are made from pre-consumer waste packaging obtained directly from juice box manufacturers in and around Manila, waste that would normally be deposited into landfills. In addition to helping to preserve the environment, the new Woven Bag collection also enables the Co-Op to fulfill another one of their main tenets - to keep the women members gainfully employed.
The Co-Op teaches member women the new weaving method and trains them to create the new woven bags to help increase their production as interest in these highly handcrafted bags grow. The Large Woven Shoulder Bag, the largest bag in the new collection, takes almost a day and 1/2 to complete.
The new collection also features a Woven Wood Handle Bag, Woven Shoulder Bag, Woven Zipper Purse, Woven Mini Purse with Long Strap, Woven Coin Purse, Woven Zipper Coin Purse, Clutch Purse and a Saddle Bag Purse. Prices range from $9.95 to $59.95 and all styles are available in a selection of appealing colors. Bazura Bags are available at stores in the US and Canada and online at www.bazurashop.com. For more information about the company and its social mission, please visit www.bazurashop.com.
By transforming "basura", the Filipino word for garbage, into unique collections of eco-chic bags and other accessories, Bazura Bags keep millions of juice containers and pre-consumer waste out of crowded landfills and conserve resources that would be used to make products from virgin materials. The company is committed to giving garbage a new life as fashionable new bags and accessories that support the environment and fair trade.
"Unlike most third world factory workers toiling away in sweatshops, these women are entrepreneurs and shareholders," says Larry Duprey, the founder of Bazura Biz. "They work for themselves and have a positive impact on their community and, at the same time, they encourage environmentalism. We are proud to promote their enterprise," adds Duprey.
BAZURA BIZ
757 Park Street South • Peterborough, Ontario • Canada K9J 3T5 • www.bazurashop.com

BAZURA BIZ EXPANDS POPULAR COLLECTION OF ECO-FASHION ACCESSORIES WITH LAUNCH OF BANNER BAGS
Toronto, Ontario (April 2007) - Bazura Biz, a company that sells fashion accessories made from recycled materials, is proud to announce the launch of Banner Bags, a new collection of stylish and eco-friendly bags and accessories. Made from recycled advertising banners from billboards in Vietnam, the spectacular banners used in the new Banner Bag collection are already creating a buzz as the eco-fashion and green lifestyle movement continues to gain momentum.
Women like the colors, variation of design (no two bags are alike) and the texture of the material of the new Banner Bags. A Banner Bag Apron is also available and an innovative yoga mat bag is in development with yoga professionals.
With over 35 years of experience in the fashion accessories business, Bazura Biz founder Larry Duprey has played a pioneering role in the emergence of the eco-fashion movement. Frustrated by Western society's wastefulness, his mission is to look for ways to give garbage a new life. He is accomplishing this by creating stylish new bags and accessories made from recycled materials that support fair trade and environmental stewardship.

The original Bazura Bag collection features chic, but affordable handbags and accessories that are made from recycled juice containers by a women's cooperative in the Philippines. Due to the success of this line, the company expanded its efforts to transform trash into treasure with the launch of a Vintage Bag collection from India. Hand-crafted by women in their homes using recycled textiles from tapestries and blankets, these fashionable bags and accessories are also offered in various styles and sizes in an assortment of attractive colors.
All of the bags and accessories from Bazura Biz are adding glamour to recycled goods while supporting the livelihood of less fortunate (but empowered) women and their families. They are competitively priced from $10.95 to $39.95 and available online at www.bazurashop.com and also sold at retailers throughout Canada and the U.S.

BAZURA BIZ
1565 Jane Street • Toronto, Canada M9N 1R0 • 416-242-9452 • www.bazurabags.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie LeBel, Planet Friendly PR
katie@planetfriendlypr.com, 207-563-7695

BAZURA BAGS BRINGS ECO-FASHION TO AMERICA
  Stylish Bags & Accessories Handcrafted from Recycled Materials
Toronto, Ontario (June27, 2006) – On the heels of the thriving organic movement, eco-fashion is gaining momentum in North America. Much of the surge of consumer interest is due to the fact that the latest eco-fashion products place equal emphasis on quality and style as they do with environmental benefits.
  Bazura™ Bags (www.bazurabags.com) is a social entrepreneur that is proving that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. The Toronto-based company has launched a line of high quality bags and accessories handcrafted by a women's cooperative in the Philippines from colorful discarded juice containers that would otherwise clutter landfills, fields and streets in their community. While the company has a compelling environmental and social story behind the product, Bazura Bags were carefully designed to be chic, high-quality, functional, durable and stylishly colorful.
  The line of Bazura Bags introduced to the U.S. features more than 80 styles that serve many functions. The company’s most popular designs are coin purses, messenger bags, lunch bags and purses. New styles include camera and cell phone bags, key chains, placemats, cosmetic bags and fruit baskets. The fun collage of colors that are the signature of the Bazura line are derived from the attractive labels of the juice containers they are made from. The eye-catching brand labels feature slogans and exotic fruit names like "Sun Glo" and “Zesto.” The recycled juice containers also impart a hint of fresh fruit scent.
  By transforming "basura", the Filipino word for garbage, into a unique collection of eco-chic bags and accessories, the innovative business venture reduces litter, keeps millions of juice containers out of crowded landfills and conserves resources that would otherwise be used to make bags and accessories from virgin materials. The social story of how these unique bags support the livelihood of less fortunate women and their families is equally compelling. The sewing cooperative that began with six women has now blossomed to more than 500 members. Half of the employees work full time at the Co-Op which pays school children to collect over 50,000 used juice containers per day after school. The containers are washed, sanitized and expertly stitched into a wide variety of bags, accessories, home furnishings and footwear that are exported and sold in over 15 countries around the world."We hope our bags will inspire others to recycle post-consumer products into beautiful utilitarian items," says Larry Duprey, founder and President of Bazura Bags. "The positive economic and environmental impact on the Filipino communities we work with has been profound," adds Duprey. Bazura Bags retail from $5.00 to $60.00 and are available at stores in the US and Canada and online at HYPERLINK www.bazurashop.com. For more information about the company and its social mission, please visit www.bazurabags.com.

Trendy Totes Ensure Guilt – Free Shopping

Bazurabags now available in the United States

  September 1, 2005– Bazurabags - the newest fashion trend in handbags - are sweeping North America and putting shopper’s money towards a good cause. Made entirely out of sanitized juice containers, a less-fortunate group of Filipino women have created a one-of a kind accessory that puts glamour into recycled goods. Made especially for the ahead-of-the-curve girl, these trendy totes give flavour to fashion and support to fair-trade.
“Basura” means ‘garbage’ in the Philippines. The Bazurabag is symbolic of this meaning – taking garbage and turning it into something fashionable and fun.

 The Filipino women saw an opportunity in the millions of juice containers hitting landfills every day. These women decided to transform this ‘trash’ into a collection of eco-chic handbags for the fashion forward female, and create a living for themselves in the process.

 With absolutely no start-up capital and only the assistance of the local village council, six women set up a women's cooperative 'Livelihood' project. Today, the co-op has more than 500 members, with 250 working full time on the project. The Co-op pays school children to collect over 50,000 used juice containers per day. These juice containers are then washed, sanitized and processed into a wide variety of bags, accessories, sandals, and home furnishings. These products are now exported and sold in over 15 countries around the world.

 Bazurabags are anything but basic and are available in a rainbow of colours and various shapes and sizes, perfect for the girl-on-the-go. Take them to the beach, on vacation, or just out for fun in the sun. Bazurabags are designed for trend setters of all ages. Their stylish flair makes for the perfect accessory while paying tribute to the sprit of giving to a good cause. For the first time, the joy of guilt-free shopping can be celebrated with one accessory.

Energy Times magazine (October, 2007 ) ...

Shape magazine (October 2007) ...

December 2006, Seventeen(tm) Magazine ...

CUSTOMER ENDORSEMENTS: 

"I wanted to express my entire family's love for your products. They are well made, durable and adorable. The funniest thing happened as I ordered a cooler for one daughter and a diaper bag for the other daughter for Easter. One arrived and the other did not. Not a good thing
for Easter. I wanted both to have their gifts. I emailed Bazura and told them of my dilemma.  Mr. Duprey from Bazura called and found one in the United States, even in red and had it speed shipped and it was supposed to arrive on Friday. We had 15 inches of snow that friday and the poor
fed ex man could not find the numbers on the condo to deliver it. That Saturday was our dinner celebration.
My daughter is driving into the parking area at my home and guess who is behind her, "the fed ex man" with her gift. It arrived at the same moment as my daughter. Are there
coincidences or is this divine providence :-) Sincerely, Dixie V"

"Bonjour , je voulais vous féliciter pour avoir inicié ces sacs. Ils sont superbes et très pratiques. De plus, ils sont très beaux.Cette idée est géniale et devrait être plus recommandée et connue. Je vais parler de ces sacs
à tous mes amies et ma famille . Le recyclage devrait être plus présent. Alors je vous fait mes félicitations.
Bonne continuation!!!!
Élisabeth L."

"I just had to tell you I am in LOVE with bazura bags I own 3 of them so far and a wallet. They are the most amazing purses ever so durable and an awesome fashion statement. I will continue to buy new bazura bags for life. Everyone should own AT LEAST one bazura bag in there life. So keep up the good work and thank you. Loreena H."

"I love my bazura bag! I've had it for a year now, and still looks great. It's well sewn, and very strong, and is my bag of choice to use because of its flat bottom and ability to stay open while being packed. It's so much more fun looking than a canvas bag too. Bazura bags are a great way to
make a world conscious fashion statement!" (Jill R.)

"I love my BazuraBag, it is practical ands stylish, but at the same time it is made using materials which are recycled so it has a very practical impact upon the environment. I have a Bazura shopping bag which gets admiring comments every time I use it, and it is strong, very very strong I am always buying too much shopping and never have a problem in carrying it home. I can, and do, recommend your bags to others. Keep up the good work." (Rosie M.)

"I love my Bazura Bag! I have had it for quite some time now and it rocks, it has stood up to the test of time. I carry heavy things to and from work all the time and it's still in perfect condition. I get compliments about its bright colours and unique look all the time and what's best is it
was inexpensive and helped out the environment!"

"I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your product. They are very unique. It also gives me that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that what these products are being made of is being used other than to fill our worlds garbage dumps or land fills." (Denise R.)

"I have a beautiful large orange shopping bag of yours. People notice it and compliment it wherever I go. I love the fact that it is using recycled items and am always looking for some ways of helping make this world a better place in an environmental way!
Thanks for your products!" (Linda)

If you wish to make a comment about your BazuraBag please email: info@bazurashop.com

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