This pencil case from Ghana is made from reused plastic water bags stitched together and closed with a zip fastener. It is made of translucent white plastic with blue and red printed text and you can see that it originally held 500ml of water.

In West Africa it is common to find some drinks sold in bags, which can be challenging to drink from. The drinker needs to decide whether to suck or squeeze the bag and has to do so with care and not make the hole too big. In Ghana, water is commonly sold in bags. These are printed with the brand name, the chemical composition of the water and some marketing blurb about how wonderful it is to drink purified water. This is important to show that the water really has been treated.

After use the bags are discarded and can cause environmental problems and pollution. Various co-operatives of local Ghanaian workers have started collecting the bags and making them into pencil cases, make-up bags, toilet bags and simple small handbags. The end result is a waterproof and durable bag. One such company is Trashy Bags in Accra who now employ over 60 people solely making recycled bags from water and other plastic drinks sachets. These bags are sold internationally through various fairtrade companies.

For more information and to meet the makers see website link: www.trashybags.com