They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and few designers believe this adage more strongly than Gwen Cornish. Her label Bywa takes the items others have discarded and turns them into lust-worthy handbags.
The company came about when several years ago, Cornish heard that 99% of things purchased in modern times would end up in landfill within six months. The statistic horrified the designer, who set about doing something about changing it.
It wasn’t easy. The thirty-something had never sat behind a sewing machine, and her only instruction came from a 1942 drafting textbook she found online. But Bywa came to be, taking its name from the Celtic word meaning “to live.” It’s a fitting term, as Bywa teaches us to live in a different way, one that marries beauty and sustainability.
Nothing is off limits for Bywa. There are the leather remnants, fabric offcuts, and old buttons we see so many labels utilizing, but Bywa doesn’t stop there. It also sees the creative potential in old Christmas lights, plastic grocery bags, and laminate underlay.
Bywa bags are both elegant and eco-friendly, and with styles starting from $90 they’re affordable too. Find them at selected Canadian retailers and online at Cargoh.
