The "It" Bag that Might Actually Be Good for the Earth

Even Lindsay Lohan has a recycled handbag from Ecoist’s Candy Wrap­per collection. Now that green is in, Ecoist’s family-run business is cashing in too: It makes purses from candy wrappers, catalogs, and now New York City sub­way maps. Here, the $188 Large Port­folio handbag, woven from Luna bar wrappers, was hand-made by fair-trade workers in Mexico or Peru. Part of the proceeds funds a nonprofit organization that helps poor Mexican families build self-sufficient communities, and for every bag sold, Ecoist plants a tree.