Mixiblue

With its colorful line of vinyl bags, San Francisco-based Mixiblue is getting in on the Mod wave that's rippling through the fashion world. However, the firm's desire to use vinyl stems from a functional need, not merely a desire to jump on the trend bandwagon.

"We wanted something we could wipe clean," said Traci Brandon, who owns the company with her former college roommate, Mandy Ladin. "We are both moms and we felt we needed something that had a practical quality."

Brandon added, "We were both avid purse collectors, but we couldn't find exactly what we needed. We wanted something that was fun and fashionable, at a good price point."

The whimsical collection, which this season began hitting stores such as Heidi Says in San Francisco and Wink in Houston, Tex., includes clutches and totes, all of which have funky prints in bright colors. The fabrics used under the vinyl are cottons and linens, and most of the tote bags have resin handles. The bags retail between $60 and $75 and wholesale between $34 and $60. First-year sales are projected at about $25,000.

The company's moniker stems in part from the names of the duo's children — Mandy's daughter is Mia and Traci's daughter is Lexi — as well as the fact that blue is one of the founders' favorite colors.

While many accessories are manufactured overseas, Mixiblue bags are sewn in the U.S. by a group one wouldn't normally associate with fashion. they are produced by an order of Buddhist nuns in Houston, Tex., who Ladin knew through a friend. They sew for a few designers and the money goes to their religious activities. "The nuns are really creative," Brandon said, " and sometimes they even suggest designs."