- Candy wrapper purses are indeed purses made out of recycled candy wrappers. They come in a variety of styles---from clutches to handbags to totes. Candy-wrapper purses prove to be a lucrative cottage industry for women's cooperatives in developing countries such as Mexico and Honduras. These purses are eco-friendly and inexpensive to produce, and they are gaining popularity in the U.S. through online retailers and fair trade boutiques.
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Weaving is the most common technique for making a candy-wrapper purse. This method requires a moderate amount of skill and patience for the do-it-yourself-er. You cut the wrappers into rectangles and fold them together to form a chain. The chains are sewn together with nylon thread to create the body of the purse. Finally a zipper and handle are sewn on to complete the bag. Often the wrappers are lined with cellophane tape before they are folded together to make them more resilient. A well-made candy wrapper purse can last for years.
An easier method, which also allows you to utilize more of the wrapper's design, is to decoupage the candy wrappers onto an existing purse.
(For step-by-step instructions, please see Resource section.) - There is some argument over the origin of candy-wrapper weaving. Many scholars say it is based on ancient Mayan paper-weaving techniques. It has also been traced back to prison or "tramp" art from the early 20th century. Men in prison made sculptures out of cigarette packs or gum wrappers sewn together with shuttles fashioned from plastic bottles and fishing line. Gum wrapper sculpture and jewelry making became a popular hobby in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s.
