Inside the flap of one bag is the phrase "Be aware. Buy smart. Create change".

Anton Piech, the creator of PAE Halo, poses wearing a green bag as he reaches for its blue alternative.[Photo/China Daily]

Raising money for charity in Beijing has never had such a fashionable approach, Alice Philipson discovers

Designer boutiques, chic Western brands, trendy urban clothing?Beijing is fast becoming a fashionista's paradise. But unlike the fashion capitals of the West, Beijing has yet to tap into the growing international market for well-made, ethically-produced clothing and accessories. Armed with sleekly-designed messenger bags, Socially Conscious Lifestyle (SCL) Brand is determined to help change the status quo.

The bags, which were launched last month, are hand-sewn and come in two designs - one sports the number 49 in acid green and yellow, while the other displays a Buddha print in bright turquoise and hot pink.

They're eye-catching and fun and not hard to imagine slung over the necks of trendy 20-somethings strolling about the hutong of Dongcheng district - the area where the bags are sold.

But they sit apart from the competition for one important reason: any profit made on the bags goes straight to the Halo Fund, a charity that will launch in March 2011 with the aim of helping social welfare projects in China. Suicide prevention is just one example of a cause the brand is looking to support.

"It has become trendy, this concept of socially-conscious fashion and socially-conscious design," said Ellen Luo, managing director of PAE Halo, the company that manages the SCL Brand.

"There's a growing internationalized market in China and there's growing environmentalism and a growing need to address certain social issues."

PAE Halo, the brainchild of Anton Piech - who also helps run the company - is a social venture that helps build non-profit organizations in China. The SCL Brand is the latest string to its bow.

But although the charitable side of the business is a major attraction for customers, it's just as important that people like the design and the look of the bag, according to Luo.

Priced at 1,888 yuan, Luo believes the product "has to offer something that is unique, as well as giving people something that they know will benefit other people".

But can the bags compete with the major Western fashion labels that are so popular in Beijing? Vincent Rondia, academic director at the Raffles Design Institute in Beijing, believes they can.

"It's not about sacrificing when you buy into a socially-conscious brand," said Rondia, who helped produce the designs for the bags.

"I don't think all these big Western brands that everyone knows in Beijing are luxurious anymore. When everybody in the street is wearing something identical and it's hard to tell whether they are real or fake, they stop being exclusive.

"If a brand wants to come on to the market, do something really different and have a unique product that is luxurious, serves a purpose and gives the same satisfaction, if not more than one of the established brands, then why not?" Rondia said.

The SCL Brand range consists of just 100 bags, 50 of each design. But despite the small number produced, the collection took several months to get together - a consequence, according to Luo, of ensuring the bags were of the highest quality.

Everyone involved in making the bags had to be paid well and good working conditions were made a priority. Each of the 100 bags was made in a workshop in Beijing that gives employment opportunities to the disabled.

Regrettably, the bags are not completely made from recycled material - something the brand was looking to achieve. In the end, "green" fabrics were too costly to buy in bulk, said Luo.

Watches or pens, rather than a complete fashion range, will most likely be the focus for SCL Brand over the coming months. However, ethically-produced fashion is a concept that Luo hopes will catch on quickly in China.

"I would like to think that there will be many other companies trying to produce socially-conscious items, especially in China," she said.

"These kinds of bags are unique and they tell a story."