The technique of weaving recycled plastic bags with cotton was developed by the Gafreh Association with the help of Les Filles de Facteur, a non-profit group that supports women and children.
It is a reworking of their popular Muse Two handbag except that this version was handcrafted by the women from Burkina Faso using recycled plastic bags and fair trade cotton.
Chiang Mai lets down its hippie hair at this market with lots of ethnic chic accessories, undyed cotton T-shirts and "save the planet" canvas tote bags.
When I interned there, there were times when my bosses would wear comfy cotton (to beat the stifling hot weather) but would also carry Prada or Louis Vuitton bags.