The Candy Bag
September 24, 2007
One Elberon handbag designer is finding inspiration in candy wrappers.
At Nahui Ollin castoff candy bar wrappers are retrieved from Mexican factories, and used to make colorful bags with lux leather straps. The brightly colored waxy paper is discarded by the manufacturers for defects— so it’s clean trash, not plucked out of a landfill.
“The technique has been around for years”, says owner Elias Abadi who explained his mother had the idea after a visit to her native Mexico, and watching the locals re-use everyday material to make handbags.
You may have to look hard to find one of these bags. Elias says they are in about 600 boutiques nationwide, but not available in any major department stores. The family, he says, prefers working with the small store owners and getting ”immediate feedback.”
There was exactly one Tutti Frutti style bag ($275) left at Cheryl & Dave’s in Livingston and everyone wanted to take it home, including us!
The bags are incredibly sturdy even though they are made from paper. The candy wrappers are folded and woven into an intricate pattern. The bags come in all sizes, shapes and colors.
If you call the warehouse in Elberon (732-222-7500) and mention NJ My Way, they’ll give you an extra 10% off.
Enjoy your candy wrapper bag! And better still, you are helping to keep leftovers from becoming trash. We call it pre-cycled. You’ll call it a bag that creates a buzz.
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