Check this out:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/06/01/ghana.trash.bags.waste/index.html ?hpt=C2
Now this is a great idea for new craft items in TB!
you know, being a bagaholic, I would buy one ; )
Fantastic idea!! I would buy some of these.
The bags are wonderful. I think there are many more relatively inexpensive crafts and items that could be produced in the TB area if someone had a bit of start up money and a lot of initiative. They would also have to be willing to work very hard for several months until they saw a return on their investment.
What kind of bags? plastic scandal bags? or styrofoam food containers.. that is the main type of gargabe laying around in ditches and caught in fences and trees in TB. Is it possible to make a purse out of this type of garbage?
I bought my daughter a very fahionable cell phone bag made from candy wrappers. They are used to make fasionable purses as well. There is also a recycling website(http://www.terracycle.net/) that collects juice box pouches and other snack food contaiers which are made into trendy items and the organization or person gets 2 cents(USD) for each pouch they collect and send in. Many schools in the US participate as a fundraiser. Good to see that this is happending in the developing world as well.
I talked to my friend this morning who is in Ghanna visiting family and sent him to the store. He called me from the store and said they had many purses and they ranged from $12-20usd. He is bringing me back a few.
Another recycled purse line is Freitag. They are made from the discarded truck tarps in Europe. They are bit more pricey. www.freitag.ch
Someone in Jamaica could easily make bags from the thrown away scandal bags. You could braid them to make them stronger and put them together that way.
Would the TBWG be upset if other people in the area made and sold crafts?
To Question, the Treasure Beach Women's Group has for many years wholeheartedly encouraged people in the area to make craft items. We now market items for about forty different artisans from the south St. Elizabeth area in our Treasure Hunt Craft Shop, giving them 80% of the proceeds collected. We also highly encourage them to find other outlets for their work, so the answer is no, we would not be upset.
My friend was in Ghanna when this thread started so I asked him if he would go to the store and buy me a few. Here are some pictures of the bags he brought back.
The inside lining is made of water bags (bag juice bags). The outside of the bag is made from candy wrappers or snack bags. They are sewn together 3 thick into a large sheet like a quilt. Then the sheets are cut into the desired pattern. These bags seem very durable and they even have zippers and compartments.
The US prices were $10-20 per bag.
Wow! Thanks so much for these. How cool!!
These are a great idea, but I am wondering about the cost involved in getting to the end product.
Collecting, cleaning, and creating the "fabric" would involve a huge chunk of time that would mean no $ at that end of the project.
Anyone with any ideas?
I'd buy one or two for $10 to $20. These would be for gifts for my teenage niece, not to replace scandal bags. I have also seen similar things made of soft drink cans. In Jamaica one could use Ting cans for this purpose.
Judy, If a person has no other source of income, i.e. a job, they often have alot of time, and if the raw materials are free, it seems like a good project,both in terms of keeping the environment waste free, and providing some income, since it would be 100% profit to the person making them.
I too would purchase some.
what a wonderful idea
I was just shown this and thought it was hysterical - but with a message.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw
Good video.
The Great Plastic Patch in the Pacific is a real thing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch
Hi Rebecca,
I commend you and Eric for posting those links on the Plastics at sea. As we all know this is a world wide dangerous situation and it is so sad to see..
I watched when Miss O had a show on this subject and was shocked to see what is happening to our oceans,lakes,and rivers.
If at all possible could a slide show be shown at the school for all to see so everyone that do not have access to a computer can see what is taking place and they can help to spread the word of how dangerous this is for the livelihood of all mankind.
I hope this website can be of help also.
http://clearblueoceans.com
Here is a link to a video on YouTube on how to make your own purse/bag from plastic bags. Seems easy to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB1mE8e35UY