Maria Lixo

I’m definitely not the only girl with enough purses in my closet to last several lifetimes, but it’s embarrassing how much effort and energy is expended by the industry to satiate my purse obsession. The amount of bananas lost over the eco-friendly “I’m Not a Plastic Bag” shopping tote is proof that fashion consumers are sounding the S.O.S. for alternatives.

Sao Paulo’s Maria Lixo (“lixo” in Portuguese means “trash”) is an option that extends beyond hype because mostly, it’s already been existing without it. For her line, Chelsea College of Art and Design post-graduate Maria gathers colorful plastic bags "” those that people recognize (Harrod’s) or are visually interesting (sacks from Sao Paulo’s Japanese shopping district) make the cut "” and treats them so they’re stiff. She adds a lining, leftover scraps of fabric and leather for decoration and sews the creations into pretty clutches, totes and wallets. In her words, it’s “fashion, created in part from the trash of the fashion industry.” In our words, it’s a commendable contribution to the reduce, reuse and recycle effort. In a further boost to the environmentally friendly nature of her bags, she’s planning to make the switch to vegetable leather. So it’s true, then: One person’s trash is indeed another one’s treasure.