These bags are so unusual, definite conversation pieces. Our creative people who make these bags rely on coming across exactly the right source material, in just the right condition. Perfect, for example, is a gorgeous binding on a story with missing pages; we are not in the business of destroying perfectly readable books!
Have you got any damaged books lying about that you can't bear to be parted from? There are lots of exciting ways of 're-purposing' dead books.
If you were wondering where to begin then we have some help. In our Books department we have a section on books devoted to Turning Old Books into New Things.
Playing With Books even tells you how to make your own book handbag like the ones featured above, whilst The Repurposed Library gives instructions on how to make, amongst other things, lampshades, utensil holders and vases.
What could you make?