Cyclus Bags

Old rubber can find lots of new uses -- tires often become swings, inner tubes can be crumbled into synthetic turf, and Joan Rivers is finally an apprentice to a celebrity. For a company turning it into bags: Cyclus

Recently arrived in NYC, the Colombian bagsmiths at Cyclus specialize in converting urban materials -- chiefly tire rubber -- into an array of eye-catching, waterproof totes, drawing design inspiration from "answers to the relationship of man with nature", which hopefully isn't sexual, 'cause dude, she's his mother.

The line's core is a collection of 12 rubber messengers, including the rectangular Plaza L, featuring two interior pouches (one zip, one button-fasten), a key attachment, and an L-shaped outer flap covering everything but a multi-purpose zip pocket, plus the Voltio, rocking a flap that's actually secured using cables that connect via an electric plug and outlet, and's covered in spiraling grooves (though if the plugs aren't connected, those grooves may suffer a Deep Banana Blackout).

Also avail are laptop cases like the tri-pocketed, padded interior Clasico 15", bike bags including the Chaleco Spider vest (reflective plastic on the back pouch and MP3/cellphone stow on the chest), and backpacks such as the Pangolin, constructed using a series of articulated "scales" to mimic the namesake armored anteater, and closed by three magnetic studs, also what Selleck and Danson were hoping for, but then...Guttenberg

They've also dropped accessories from camera cases, to belts, to waterproof wallets, meaning the rubber in your pocket can finally fulfill its intended use of getting wet.