Not every rubber bag is the same, however, in terms of where the rubber was sourced or how it was processed before being turned into a funky accessory. And this—the origin—is key!
A rubber purse, backpack or messenger bag is typically made in one of two ways:
1) It is constructed from a sheet of processed, recycled tire rubber; or
2) it is constructed from reclaimed rubber inner tubes.
To create a sheet of recycled rubber, an excessive amount of energy goes into collecting, transporting and re-melting the tires. During the process, toxins are released into the air. With all the energy, resources and hazards implicit in its production, this type of rubber is arguably not worth the hassle.
