Then they have to factor in labor costs — it takes two and a half days to make a pair of shoes. And there’s the use of U.S.-based companies for other components, such as eyelets and shoelaces.

“That costs money,” Schlaff said. “We wanted to be intentional about that. If we're buying brand-new leather, one, the sustainability factor goes down and, two, the cost would go up even more.”

'We repurpose for a purpose'

Reclaimed wood and leather scraps are the upcycled materials of choice for Detroit-based Bags to Butterflies, a for-profit organization that makes handbags.

Bags to Butterflies provides transitional employment to women recently released from prison in a 12-month program aimed at helping to reduce recidivism. Michelle Smart founded the company nine years ago after hearing that a family friend’s daughter was going to prison.

“People like the fact that we repurpose for a purpose,” Smart said. “So they like the fact that we're ... repurposing material, and we're also repurposing lives.”

The women assemble bags from reclaimed wood, such as old cabinet panels or flooring. They paint the bags using discontinued paints and stains. Smart will salvage material wherever she can, including donations, Habitat Restore and items placed at the street curb for garbage pickup.

“If somebody threw a dresser out, I will pull that back panel off of the dresser,” she said. “We sanitize it, the ladies paint and stain it. It's really sustainability.”

Bags to Butterflies sells the colorful, handmade bags and accessories at pop-up events, such as the Fine Art at The Village in Rochester Hills in July and, this past winter, the Downtown Detroit Markets.

Its best-sellers include a crossbody bag, which is made of reclaimed wood. Its new tablet bag is also a popular choice, Smart said. Prices include $125 for a crossbody bag and $210 for other-style bags made of reclaimed wood.

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