TALKING ABOUT RECYCLING BEING IN THE BAG...

As we're on the subject, it seemed apropos to mention Nahui Ollin's bags and accessories.
Made from wrappers of all kinds and by independent artisans trained for the job in Mexico (under fair wage conditions), these are, by far, the best of the 'candy wrapper' labels out there. Each style has its own name (I'll let you find itsy-bitsy, clutch nuevo, and the Ritual in the picture) and comes in one of several 'wraps' as it were.
This past Autumn, Nahui Ollin bolstered its 'cool' credentials with a whole different concept - the Artisanal Collection -- traditional motifs and embroidery techniques on transitional cotton and complete with repurposed handles and button details. I have one of the few Riviera bags in the UK at the moment and in describing the effect it has, I think its fair to say sane women have looked menacing when I informed them they can only get one at DeviDoll but in January 2008.

YOUR TRASH IS MY CASH

Talk about really getting the recycling thing *REALLY* right: Conserve, an Indian NGO, founded by Anita Ahuja and her husband, Shalabh, takes discarded polythene bags and through unique processing creates some pretty funky bags and other accessories. Conserve showed at Paris for the first time this past September.


Not only is this intelligent waste management, its also compassionate social management: the Ahujas provide decent wages to the garbage pickers (a notoriously badly treated subset of the contractors the run 'waste management' in India's cities) and employment to otherwise destitute slum-dwellers who are taught skills in polythene processing or design.
Jewel in the crown: informal schooling for the children of the 300-strong slum dwelling work-force has now been put in place. About 200 youngsters between 5 and 13 now gain basic learning from about 8 teachers.
Read more about Conserve's work here and expect to see some of their designs at DeviDoll in Spring 2008.