Trashy Bags - eco-friendly, recycled plastic bags from Ghana.

Trashy Bags are made from reclaimed plastic drinking water and ice-cream sachets that have been carelessly discarded into the environment. The plastic is not reprocessed in any way, apart from cleaning. This has the benefit that very little energy is used in order to add value to material that would otherwise be dumped or burned. By incorporating the original and complete sachets into the products, it demonstrates in a very visible way that it is possible to increase the life span of plastic packaging and help tackle the very serious problem of environmental pollution in Africa and elsewhere. The messenger bags are made from 231 plastic sachets and come in a range of colours. The bags contain a pocket in the flap closed with a zip. Flap is secured with Velcro.

Wrappers and water sachets, which hold clean water and are sold in every store and used by everyone, fill the landscape of the capital city, Accra, Ghana. They clog the gutters and drains causing floods and get carried out into the ocean. Social entrepreneur, Stuart Gold, noticed the problem and decided to help fix it and created Trashy Bags. Trashy Bags makes around 250 items a week and produces 350 different designs of bags, wallets and raincoats. Its network of collectors has grown to over 150 people who have gathered some 15 million plastic sachets that might otherwise be on the streets of Accra.