I am addicted to bags of all kinds. I like small handbags, big totes, and any bag in between. I’ve learned my lesson, though, about buying cheap bags – you get what you pay for.  Which is why I was beyond thrilled when Nankeen contacted me about reviewing their beautiful Omni Tote.  Just look at how amazing this bag is!

The inside of the bag is equally beautiful, with 100% cotton persimmon orange fabric.

There’s an elasticized pocket on either side of the outside of the bag, and a large outside pocket with a snap closure. Inside, there are two large zippered pockets as you can see in the photo. This bag will hold a ton of stuff. It could be a diaper bag, a laptop bag, a shopping bag, whatever Mom wants!   Now, let me tell you what makes the fabric of this bag so unique- Nankeen was born when designer Anne Page discovered traditional blue and white hand-printed cotton from China, made with a 3,000 year old process.

Hand-carved stencils, originally made from wood but now from heavy paper, are prepared and a mix of soya bean flour and slaked lime is applied through the openings of the stencil onto the 100% cotton fabric. When dry, the fabric is then dipped numerous times into the large tubs containing the indigo dye. After the right color is achieved and the fabric has dried, the paste is scraped off, revealing the white patterns on the blue cloth. The fabric is then washed, dried, and ironed before fabrication into the Nankeen collection. Such fabric represents a fast-disappearing historic art form which embodies ancient Chinese culture and traditions.

If blue and orange don’t fit Mom’s style, Nankeen has bags in many variations of indigo and white, and sizes ranging from clutch purses to large weekender bags. There’s sure to be one that a special Mom in your life will love!

The Omni Tote as well as all Nankeen bags can be purchased online at www.nankeenstyle.com as well as at Nankeen Stores. Check the Nankeen Store Locator to see if there’s a location in your State, if not, here’s what I suggest – print out an image from the site of the bag you plan to buy and slip it into a Mother’s Day card with a note that the bag is on it’s way. A percentage of online sales support the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. and the textile department of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum in Providence, Rhode Island.

If the Mom you are buying this gift for is a lover of high-quality bags, she’ll be so thrilled to get a Nankeen bag for Mother’s Day!

Edited to add: Special offer for MomReviews readers! Save 15% on the Omni Tote by entering code MomReviewsMay at checkout!

disclosure: Nankeen provided me with a bag for this review. All opinions are my own.