bemoreeco

Curiosity got the better of me, I had to know a little more of the story behind Noon Solar. Noon Solar, as you might recall from my post last week, is a company that creates fashionable handbags which generate their own electricity through solar panels. It really is an amazing concept, read the post here.

This week I had a chance to send a few questions to Jane, one of the two founders of the company, to ask how the idea came about, where the concept is going and when the bags will be available here in the UK. Here’s what she said:

Thanks for your time Jane, can you begin by telling me a little about the history of the company? It seems like you’ve had quite an adventure.

Jane – We started  this project in 2002, around the time of the start up to the Iraq war.  We were feeling powerless in the decision making process of going to war, and we felt that we were largely invading Iraq for oil.  We, Marianne Fairbanks and I, both have backgrounds in fine arts and fibers/textiles and material studies.  We had been collaborating on art projects for a couple of years by that time, and we had already done another solar power project in Ohio.

Through some conversations about how people gain power, we came up with the idea of making individual power literal. What if people could carry their own renewable power, keep connected with cell phones and other technology, all the while not using any oil, coal, or other non-renewable energy source? We sewed some small solar panels on a thrift store jacket, as well as into a bag that we made. The pieces powered a Gameboy. We showed the pieces at a gallery in Portland, Oregon as a conceptual idea.

But then people started asking where they could buy them.  It took us a few years, but we launched our fist line in 2006.

I’d say our greatest achievements so far are the materials and labor practices we use to make our bags. Since we both have backgrounds in textiles, we enjoy the process of researching the best materials out there. We decided to use only biodegradable materials in our bags so they can skip the landfill, and even be buried in the backyard (once you take out the solar panel and hardware for reuse).  We use a special heavy metal free, naturally tanned and dyed leather.  We also naturally dye our own fabrics in our studio. And all of our bags are made in NYC.

Do you much much competition? How well do you think your solar handbags will sell?

Jane – Since we’ve started, a few other solar bags have come to the market. We feel we are the only ones who incorporate design and style. Solar power can be nerdy, and we know that our bags need to look and feel good for them to be popular. We are also happy to see other solar bags on the market because it means that many people are interested in this idea, and our dependence on non-renewables might actually be able to improve.

How do you expect the credit crunch will affect your business? Isn’t now a bad time to be starting a company, or selling expensive handbags?

Jane – I think that it’s a tough time to be starting a business, but at the same time, many people are ready to invest in products that are responsible to our planet.  And I think that new companies have some advantage over large companies because we can start out with good practices, be a little more radical and raise the bar for what green can mean.

Finally, any advice for our UK readers eager to get their hands on your solar-powered bags?

Jane – UK residents can purchase the bags directly through us, www.noonsolar.com.  Please send us an email if you are unable to use your credit card online. We are still working out some of our shopping cart kinks.

I’m very grateful that Jane took the time to answer my questions, and I can’t wait to see how these bags sell in the UK.