Green Cotton

Candy wrapper handbags are increasingly popular–with their bright colors, high quality designs, and very appealing eco-friendly characteristics.

While some are made locally in the US, most come from overseas including parts of Mexico, the Philippines, Indonesia and elsewhere. The two I am most familiar with are Nahui Ollin and Ecoist. Both of these companies are fair trade and work closely with local indigenous populations to make hand woven, high quality designer bags. Each company fairly employs local workers, supporting them to weave while also providing greater access to education and health care. Ecoist even plants a tree for every bag purchase. All wrappers used are diverted from landfills and/or incinerators directly at factories, which makes them attractive environmentally but also from a consumer point of view since there will be no chocolate or cookie crumbs found in any of the bags.

Despite what some internet bloggers may suggest, these bags are not easy to make. They may be fun to make, but not super fast. The techniques used to weave these bags are similar to what many of us did growing up– making necklace chains and other adornments out of Juicy Fruit wrappers and other gum wrappers. However, while making gum chains is a piece of pie, as you will soon see, making entire designer purses out of candy wrappers is a much more challenging feat. This is why many interested parties rely on skilled artisans to do this intensive work. Triple bottom line companies seems to be the newest and hottest trend in retail: helping the environment, helping communities and artisans worldwide, while also being very stylish, modern.

Nahui Ollin bags for example, are woven inside and out and contain no other materials other than the buckles and handles (which are also recycled) aside from the candy wrappers. Even the smallest bags (coin purses) contain approximately 150 wrappers. Zippers and other attachments are all hand-sewn (not glued) adding more handi-work  to each piece. Probably the easiest way to make a handle is to wrap two candy wrapper “threads” together and make a handle but this is also perhaps the least stylish way to finish the bag.

We’d like to share with you some resources we found on the web about how to make these purses out of candy wrappers so that those inspired can try it at home—or if you have more information to share to the discussion, please chime in!

Mylinda has kindly gone into great detail on her blog with instructions on how to make the bags – step by step (thank you Mylinda! Your bags are great!):
In addition, we can see a Nahui Ollin professional weaving in action through this short, light hearted video on You Tube:

Tell us about your experience in making candy wrapper bags.