It’s back to school time for our little guppies, and what better way to keep a little bit of the ocean with them through long days in the classroom than with a fishy backpack?

This lovely number is made by Patagonia, a company with great environmental policies. They have been supporting grassroots activists working to find solutions to the environmental crisis for almost 40 years, and have recently launched “Patagonia Action Works”, which connects individuals to organizations working on environmental issues in the same community. Through their website, you can find out about events, sign petitions, donate money, or connect with an organization in order to volunteer your time.  In addition, they are part of 1% For the Planet – Patagonia donates 1% of every sale of a Patagonia product sold to the eco organization, which works to fund environmental nonprofits around the world.

Next, we have a fun, handmade to order pack from Why It’s Me Design. It’s medium-sized, approximately  17”x12”x4”, which means it’s not huge, but it could still accommodate a laptop. The artist and creator, Patty H, hails from Seattle, Washington. She uses outside production partners to help her print the fabrics, which is smart, as she doesn’t have to inventory the printed items and can keep the costs reasonable. Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs is important to me, and I hope it is to you, too.

credit: www.triedandtrueblog.com

And finally, if you’d rather make your own backpack, this number from Vanessa Brady at Tried and True Blog is adorable. It takes a bit of sewing skill and a sturdy sewing machine, but her instructions are easy to follow and leave plenty of room for creativity. To make it, you need cardboard, thick (demin-ish weight)fabric, interfacing, quilter’s weigh fabric, extra wide double fold bias tape, a large button, and felt.  It could definitely be made in an afternoon – or a late night before the first day of school!