October 26, 2010

[MyWorld] Are You a Bag Lady?

I'm not a bag lady. No, of course you're not, I can hear you say. 

But I don't mean the poor woman we see on the street, wandering aimlessly, collecting endless bags, the one we pity and think, there go I but for the grace...

No, I mean I'm not the modern day "material girl" who shops till she drops, who collects more shoes and bags than she can reasonably use. The kind who will spend a pretty penny to get a Ferragamo, Gucci or Manolo Blahnik. Those bags leave me cold.

But look at these bags! Bags like these can make my eyes pop!

Manila, 2010

These are woven bags made by traditional raffia weavers on the Philippine island of Bohol. To satisfy a growing global demand for natural and sustainable product, the raffia (a palm leaf fiber) has been combined with various other environmentally friendly materials like recycled newspapers and old plastic twine.

With the collaborative support of the government and the European Chamber of Commerce, this superb project brings together the weavers who are trained to work the materials, the designers who create trendy bag and accessory designs, and the exporters who market the bags. 

Everyone is a winner. Including the end consumer who not only gets a unique one-of-a-kind handmade bag but also plays her part in the global sustainability effort.

And That's My World. Check out the many other worlds by clicking on the link.

So tell me, are you a bag lady?

18 comments:

Joanne said...

I love the white one in the back! I am all for this type of venture, there are so many places around the globe that have given women and men a chance to survive and given us the chance to see the beautiful things that are made that other wise would go to the grave with these people.

Pat Tillett said...

I am not a bag lady, or any kind of lady, but I do appreciate what they are doing!

Kay L. Davies said...

I'm a bag lady, but not a Designer Bag lady. I collect cloth bags, and I'm sure I'd buy one of these bags, too. My niece is a Designer Bag lady, will have her husband drive her miles and miles for a good deal on something by whatever designer is currently "in" but otherwise she is a super person.

Kay, Alberta

jennyfreckles said...

Wouldn't it be good if these became as desirable as a Hermes Kelly bag or whatever the latest thing is.

Mo said...

Yep

Anonymous said...

I am NOT a bag lady, but I like these ones. They are works of art, I think.

Indrani said...

Eco-friendly products, I love them.
Great post.

Sylvia K said...

Terrific! I'd buy one of those in heartbeat! They are indeed works of art! Great post for the day, Francisca. Thanks for sharing them! Hope you have a great week!

Sylvia

Marites said...

Ah..the ingenuity of the Philippine people. Love those bags! I love going to trade fairs and bazaars and check them out. I do buy some from time to time :D

indicaspecies said...

I'd love to use natural and sustainable products such as those. Lovely post.

VP said...

No, I am not a bag lady...

H said...

I'm definitely not a bag lady. I like to buy stuff which is Fairtrade or recycled

Unknown said...

Very interesting raffia works!

Lowell said...

I agree...these are "authentic" and thus much more "real" or fun than mass-produced bags!

Much different than the ones I posted on Ocala DP this afternoon.

Kaori said...

I think I'm one now...the clutch bad in the very front is fantastic! Seems like a good deal all around :-D

Halcyon said...

I admit, I'm a bag lady... I love bags!

These are really nice. I've also seen some cool new ideas on Hilda's Manila DP blog lately. I think it's great that people can make a living recycling things or using renewable resources. I hope more of these types of bags catch on.

Unknown said...

I have been called a bag lady but not because I am into designer bags - I don't like anything that shout big brands. When I was in art school, I made 400+ bags for an art installation, and another 200* fabric bags for another... It was bags everyday for a whole year!

These raffia bags are nice. I like the style of the beige one. It's like a casual shopping/beach bag. I used to have a few...

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Certainly I am not -- I've never been much of a shopper and now even if I were I don't have any space for extra stuff.

But I love these bags and the idea. Did I miss something like a link to a site where they're carried or can be ordered? because a couple of those look like they could be used for beach bags or carryalls, which I do use.