DIY: Tetrapak Purse

Ever since I have been carrying my ‘self made tetrapak’ purse, many people have been asking me (to my surprise) where did I purchase it from. And to their surprise, I tell them that it is a ‘self’ recycled purse.  

The tetrapak purse can be easily made and is durable. I share with you the steps below:

Materials required:

Empty tetrapak (large)

Fabric (use only cotton fabric or jeans)

A button

Needle and thread to sew the button

A string

White glue (I have used fevicol)

Scissors

STEPS:

1. Clean the tetrapak, dry it and cut its ends (See picture below)

Rectification: Please note that the center picture is supposed to be the third picture and the third should be in the center.

2. Cut open the tetrapak from the center. Fold it the way you want your purse to be. (See picture below)

3. Sew a button on the fabric first (I have used an old cotton fabric). The button should be sewed on the part of the fabric where it will stick to the (top) flap. (See picture below)

Note: The size of the fabric should be little bigger than the tetrapak. 

 4. Apply white glue (I have used fevicol, since it gives good results) all over one side of the tetrapak. (See picture below)

5. Stick the fabric on the tetrapak. Let it dry. (See picture below)

6. It should look like this. (See picture below)

7. Now stick other piece of fabric to the other side of the tetrapak. Let it dry. Cut at the edges. (See Picture below)

8. Take two strips of the fabric. Glue it. Fold it. Let it dry. (See pictures below)

9. Apply glue on the folded strip. Use it to close the side ends. Let it dry. (See pictures below)

10. Take a string and attach it to the button. Tie it around the purse. The end result should look like below. (See the picture below)

In the above purse I have used jeans. I have also made another purse out of plain black fabric. Since it looked too plain, I have made patterns with acrylic colour. 

# I used a net fabric, white acrylic colour and a sponge. 

# Covered the purse with net fabric, applied colour on the sponge and pressed it over the net fabric. The result is below.

I have used jeans, plain cotton fabric and printed cotton fabrics to make such tetrapak purses.

Hope you will make one.

Thank You for staying 🙂

We are doing our part for a clean India, are you?

As the rest of the nation has been busy with cleanliness drives adhering to the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan‘ (Campaign Clean India), Sikkim has been busy making its citizens aware about proper waste management apart from organising cleanliness drives. The exhibition held at Titanic Park featured recycled products made out of household waste, tips on recycling, reusing and reducing, awareness booths and waste management models prepared by the school students. 

The Zero Waste Himalaya educated the public about the effects of using non-biodegradable items and urged the public to STOP using them.

Green Gangtok, an exclusive eco-boutique featured some amazingly crafted items made out of household waste.

The Kanchendzonga Conservation Committee (KCC), Yuksam, West Sikkim, exhibited and array of products handcrafted out of household waste.

The kid likes the cushion stuffed with noodle packets.

The students from Deorali Girls Sr. Sec. School too had displayed interesting handmade products made out of waste.

Baha’i School’s model on waste management was a great hit.

Kyi-de-Khang School’s model on drinking water management through railway systems in India was a brilliant one.

Lingchom Secondary Govt. School (West Sikkim) impressed me the most. The school had displayed useful items made out of household waste. The school has a Green Brigade Team which is involved in educating the students and public about waste management. The school every year organises a Waste Collection Day during which they collect all kinds of waste, segregate them and use them in some way or the other. Through them the villagers of Lingchom are now well aware of waste management.

As for me, it was great teaching the students in my stall. With the theme ‘Recycling is Fun’ I aimed in teaching the students the basic concept of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). 

I want the students especially to understand the 3R concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Even if one student out of hundred can take with him/her the basic idea of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling through my works and apply it in their lives, then I will believe that I have fulfilled my purpose.

“Swachh Bharat is not always cleaning. It is much more than ‘just’ cleaning.”

We, in Sikkim are doing our part for a clean India, are you?

About the exhibition: The exhibition was held at Titanic Park, Gangtok, East Sikkim from 28 Oct to 31 Oct, 2014 by the Rural Management & Development Department, Govt. of Sikkim.

About Swachh Bharat Mission: Swachh Bharat Abhiyan/Mission (Campaign Clean India) was officially launched on 2nd Oct, 2014 by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. It is a national level campaign initiated by the Govt of India.This campaign aims to accomplish the vision of ‘Clean India’ by 2nd Oct, 2019 (150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi). However, Sikkim aims to achieve this mission by 2017-2018 and become the first clean state of India. The state has already achieved Nirmal Rajya Puraskar in 2008 by achieving 100% sanitation.