Crystalyn Kae Blog

A rare discovery from a Boeing pilot’s estate inspired a special collaboration with Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Crafted from genuine mid-century airplane upholstery, this limited run of 96 one-of-a-kind bags connects aviation history with sustainable design.

A coated canvas bag begins with a strong woven fabric that’s treated with a permanent protective glaze. Unlike faux leather or polyurethane, coated canvas won’t peel or crack—and at Crystalyn Kae, ours are even machine washable. For nearly 25 years, this eco-conscious material has been the backbone of our most-loved, long-lasting bags

What is the environmental impact of manufacturing the vegan bags? I have a hard time with people who say that buying a vegan bag is going to save the planet, because at the end of the day: buying fake leather...

When I lived in the East Village, one of my favorite routines would be to wander over to the Lower East side to drop off packages, grab a snack at Baby Cakes, pet the rescue cats at Moo Shoes.  But hands-down the hilight of my day was to peruse the many upholstery shops that littered Ludlow and Orchard street. 

  Why do we need to invent new fabrics, if we have so much waste? Having more than 20 years of experience in the bag-making industry, I've found myself thinking the following: Why do we need to invent new fabrics,...

From grandma’s couch to a timeless handbag — see how we transformed stacks of midcentury vintage upholstery swatches into one-of-a-kind floral bags. A behind-the-scenes look at our process, from washing the fabrics to cutting them into new life

Once relegated as an upholstery fabric until made fashionable by Coco Chanel in the 1950's this textural fabric called Boucle has become a classic staple of French style. Popularized further in the 1960's by Jackie Kennedy, boucle has become a mainstay of today's fashion.

 

While thrift shopping in Seattle, Crystalyn discovered an entire roll of unused boucle fabric that just begged to be made into bags.

 

 

Volunteering at FabScrap has been on my NYC bucket list ever since Crystalyn mentioned that that is where she gets a lot of her upcycled leather and unique fabrics.  Crystalyn, being the super cool boss she is, allowed me to take an afternoon off and volunteer at FabScrap! This amazing *woman founded* business is dedicated to recycling fabrics and repurposing them to keep them out of the waste stream. They have thousands of pounds of fabric that they have collected from apparel design companies in New York City, about 40 bags a day weighing 50 pounds each, which volunteers then sort to be recycled or sold at very reasonable prices to designers or students! 

In May 2018, I spent nearly a month in Tuscany, immersed in a region renown for olive oil, wine, truffles and leather. Inspired by a culture so connected to the land in a mindful way, I relished this rare opportunity to explore an ancient tradition working with vegetable-tanned leather.

I am a material driven-designer, with longevity and timelessness being paramount to my aesthetic: any object of value has to tell a story.  Working with this pliable material in its natural state enabled me to combine my skills in textiles and woodworking in the most exhilarating way.⁣

Here's a peek behind the scenes of creating the collection.

Leather is a very long-lasting material, it can last thousands of years. So, why should we produce new when we can up-cycle? In New York City, the heart of American fashion manufacturing, I have access to a plentiful supply of exceptionally rare swatches, mill-end rolls, and even production leftovers from major designers and manufacturers. I have had the pleasure to collaborate with a local non-profit, FabScrap, to obtain my leather (and textiles) for my current collection.’ 

The guiding light of Crystalyn Kae Accessories is to create useful designs with luxurious materials that will stand the test of time.   In the spirit of my first collection of bags beginning 17 years ago, purses that were made...

 I was recently invited to participate in first-person full-sensory experience to the cultural context of vegetable-tanned leather in its birthplace in a tiny village in Tuscany called San Miniato. 

As an artisan, this invitation is obviously a bucket-list opportunity and a welcome catalyst to experiment - to stretch myself in ways I don’t usually have opportunity or resources to try.

All of the products we consume make an impact on the environment. We cannot fight the nature of consumption and our exponentially growing population. How, where, and with what materials things are made determine just how much of an impact a product's lifecycle can create.

When FABSCRAP was just an idea, I was handed a box of discarded leather and asked to prove that waste could be beautiful. Two days and ten products later, we had our answer—and the beginning of a circular fashion revolution.

We source over 30% of our recycled leather for our bags at McPherson wholesale leather supply in Seattle. They collect leather scraps from suppliers all over the country and allow designers to purchase at a discount.  This provides us guilt-free access to gorgeous leather scraps, which we rescue to create our recycled leather handbags.

 

 

custom leather troubadour in progress on Flickr.

leather troubadour tote in champagne

I was recently asked to participate in an upcoming fundraiser for a local non-profit, which will be hosting a fashion show and auction featuring reworked fashions created by Seattle designers, using vintage prom dresses

 

I have just returned from a 4 day getaway with Mom and Grandma in San Francisco.  A mix of business & pleasure: I managed to share my most beloved facets of San Francisco with my two favorite gals, and found … Continue reading →

 

My pleated clutch is included in “The Best Recycled Leather Handbags” on GreenGrechen.com! What a treat! “Crystalyn Kae is most well-known for her vegan handbags, but recently she’s started creating some clutches with recycled leather for $95. How amazing is … Continue reading →