A frequenter of the cultural festivals near
her local hometown in Mexico, it was here that designer Olga Abadi
discovered the ancient Mayan technique of binding everyday materials into
handbags. The result is Nahui Ollin, a specialty line of handbags inspired
by age-old techniques with a modern look and feel. Not only did the
process sustain the environmentally-friendly practice of recycling, it also
yielded a fresh and innovative product.
Abadi’s
take on the crafting technique involves turning hundreds of candy
wrappers and soda labels into fully functional, not to mention fun and
stylish handbag. All materials are collected from small, independent
factories near where the Abadi family lives in Mexico from the candy
wrappers to the leather handles. While the bags are indeed made from
candy wrappers, they stand the test of time and weather for a tear-free
durability. Owned and operated in whole by the Abadi family, the
bags are entirely hand-made by folding and weaving individual candy
wrappers together to create the various shapes and sizes in the Nahui
Ollin collection