I was compensated by JOYN for my work on this post. I also received items for review (and to giveaway!).
A good – I mean, really good – handbag is the unsung hero of one’s wardrobe.
They say there are shoe people and bag people. I’m not a collector of bags, but I certainly appreciate the ones that were made with consideration for how they’ll be used. Multiple storage pockets, a place for my phone, easy to wear, and just enough space for a day planner are my necessities for an everyday purse.
It’s surprisingly hard to find all of these qualities in a single bag, especially one that’s made fairly with an eye toward style.
What You Need to Know About JOYN
JOYN Bags are produced under ethical guidelines in India. It was very important to founder, Melody Murray, that cotton be hand loomed to provide sustainable, long term jobs to artisans and preserve local craft tradition (she was inspired by Gandhi’s dedication to sustaining local industries). The printed fabric on each bag was made with Indian cotton, hand processed and loomed, then block printed using traditional techniques. The environmental advantage of this process is that it uses far less electricity than modern methods.
Leather used in JOYN bags is mostly recycled, but occasionally sourced as a byproduct of the preexisting meat industry. Some bags, like the Nyma I’m wearing here, come in vegan leather.
JOYN is serious about offering a better quality of life to their employees: they offer maternal and paternal care, on site daycare, job training, educational opportunities, and entrepreneurial development.
Because JOYN specializes in handbags, they’re able to offer a versatile core collection suitable for all types of needs. Leather clutches that convert into crossbodies, ID pouches, satchel styles, and even tote bags.
For each design, I can think of a friend whose lifestyle best suits it:
- Sarah, a social worker who often walks a couple miles to work, would love the Anna Handbag.
- Hannah, a blogger and entrepreneur on the go, could get a lot of use out of the Kosha Crossbody Wallet.
- My sister would love the satchels.
What I’m trying to say is that you can tell that the JOYN collection has been road tested and meets the requirements of a diverse range of people, no matter their lifestyle or profession. There’s a lot of thought behind it.