Eco-Ingenuity: Jacinto & Lirio

Patricia, Noreen and Anne (l. to r.) show off a line of handbags from their flagship company, Jacinto & Lirio.

J&L is an eco-friendly enterprise that showcases the Filipino innovation of plant leatherization, a process that turns pesky weeds like the water hyacinth into a leather-like material, which J&L then transforms into fashionable and functional statement handbags.

J&L also employs low-income workers to help support the economic independence of several rural communities in the Philippines. And now J&L wants to increase production capacity and tell the stories of the inspiring people making their bags. They’ve just launched their first crowdsourcing campaign: #liveastoryworthtelling through IndieGoGo.

http://www.indiegogo.com/Jacintoandlirio

Check it out!