Book Nook Club: Zaties Books and Book Purse Giveaway (closed)

November 7, 2011

Zaties Books and Book Purse Giveaway (closed)

**This giveaway is now closed and the lucky winner is ShootingStarsMag. If I don't hear back from her in the next five days, I'll pick another winner.**

I love when I find out about new book things. While I was trying to come up with an idea for my little sister for her birthday, I came across Zaties Books and their gorgeous book purses. I contacted Zaties Books to learn more about their purses and the more I learned, the more I liked. So without further adieu, let me introduce you to Zaties Books and my newest list wish addition, their recycled handmade book purses.

What is Zaties Books?
Zaties is a “green” company that grew out of the cooperative efforts of two friends with a passion for books and creativity. We specialize in unique handbags crafted from recycled books, but also branch out into a number of other items like portfolios, e-reader cases, Christmas ornaments, wreaths, and home décor accents.

Your tagline is “Rescue. Recycle. Repurpose.” What does that mean?
That’s what we do. We rescue old books destined for disposal, recycle what we can and repurpose these treasures into beautiful and functional pieces. Every piece we make starts with a recycled book.The majority of the books we recycle have been damaged or discarded. We acquire them through libraries, second-hand stores, garage sales and even friends’ attics. Removed pages are also recycled. The fabrics we use are made from all-natural fibers (usually 100% cotton) and many of our handles are as well.

Do you ever feel bad about destroying books?
This is a question we get ALL the time! There are definitely some books we will not touch. We will never create anything from a Bible. We will never use first edition or collectible pieces. We love books, too, and are very, very careful to never harm rare or valuable volumes. The truth is we do not destroy books. In fact, with the rise of e-publications, we see this as a rescue mission, a preservation of history through repurpose. When we make the purses, we actually remove the covers while keeping the pages in tact.

How did you get started?
A little over three years ago I saw a book purse on some crafty website. Just looking at it gave me heart palpitations. I mean, it was my two greatest fetishes – books and handbags -- combined into one item! How cool is that? Almost immediately I set out to make one myself. I grew up sewing and designing my own patterns, so this simply presented a new challenge for me. After I perfected my pattern, one turned into twenty.

Is there anything else you'd like readers to know?
Zaties gives 10-30% of all profits to charities that fight against world hunger and domestic violence. We have a heart for hurting children, be they abused, underprivileged, orphaned or simply thirsty. This company serves as a means by which we can help our community and the world, not only through responsible recycling, but also through financial assistance.

Who wouldn't want one of Zaties Book Purses? I know I do. Lucky for you, Zaties Books has offered to giveaway either the Martha Stewart purse below or a $50 credit for any other item in their store. That $50 credit could get you any of these gorgeous pieces of art. So check out their site and start picking out what you want to win.