Light at the end of the tunnel for women's handbags

8 October 2003 News

It is truly ironic that while the (mostly) male engineers of this world have managed to turn night into day in our big cities, an archaic darkness still prevails in women's handbags, swallowing up lipsticks, compacts, cellphone and car keys.

But now there is light in the 'black hole'! BREE, a German-based international leather and bag specialist, has created the first business handbag with interior illumination. The solution comes with the help of 'smart surface technology' developed by Bayer Polymers, one of the world's largest plastics manufacturers, in partnership with the Swiss firm Lumitec, a specialist in electro-luminescence (EL) and precision electronic components.

Electroluminescence, literally a 'cool' concept, produces no heat. The hitch - only flat surfaces of limited size could previously be achieved. But now smart surface technology makes it possible for the films to be shaped as needed and thus to illuminate any conceivable geometry.

Intense development work produced a prototype business bag with modest, attractive light. The seven by 16 centimetre lighting element lights up at the press of a button, immersing as many as two compartments in a magical 'enlightening' glow.

www.bree.de; www.lumitec.ch; www.bayerpolymers.com

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