WASTE NOT WANTED

       Sunun Kittong truly has a profound passion for all kinds of orchids and has never allowed them to wither in front of his eyes.With his skilful strokes and keen eyes,however, he is able to capture the fascinating features of countless flora in full bloom onto his fabric bags.
       Though they lack the glitz when compared to other fashionable bags, his satchels serve a noble mission since they help reduce piles of imperishable garbage that is already choking the planet. Sunan doesn't have only one or two fabric bags but a lot. Unsurprisingly, his house is now completely devoid of the plastic ones most people collect during shopping trips.
       On top of that, he doesn't need to waste money buying new bags since his own holdalls are more durable and serve different purposes. When his destination is the market, Sunun picks up one that can withstand hard rigour. While going out on personal business, he resorts to another pouch decorated with zips and small pockets where he can keep his personal belongings safely.
       But things were totally different in the old days because he was quite happy carrying plastic bags around.
       "In those days my house was full of plastic bags since I'm a shopping maniac.I love to buy things, especially books. But now I put all my shopping in my fabric bags instead. And it seems that many shopkeepers are also happy when I tell them that I don't need plastic bags since they can save them for other customers,"he explained.
       But what makes him most proud is the fact that all the bags he carries around are the fruits of his labour and help serve his wish to safeguard the natural environment.
       Also his hand-made bags serve an extra role as silent ambassadors who indirectly inspire others to reduce and ultimately stop the use of plastic bags.
       "After seeing my bags, my friends often asked me to design one for them. Soon word spread far and wide and now many orders are flooding in. It makes me feel so good knowing that more people are starting to use fabric bags," said Sunun.
       By profession, Sunun is a landscape and garden designer but now he is happy to pursue his new interest as a fabric bag designer.
       According to Sunun, it all started three years ago when he saw a client carrying a fabric bag made from recycled cloth. His client told him he found plastic bags boring and that he got a lot more from a fabric one.This got Sunun thinking and led him to what he is doing now.
       "That customer inspired me to follow in his footsteps. One evening at the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai, I spotted a lovely fabric bag so I bought it," he recalled.
       Sunun liked the versatility of fabric bags and their durability so much so he decided to design his own and create pieces that suited his own personal taste. All of his hand-made textile bags are eye-catching with pictures of graceful orchids of various species.
       "I have long been enthralled by orchids owing to their graceful beauty. When I first designed my own fabric bags, I wanted to express my interpretation of the queen of flowers," he said.
       So far, Sunun has designed more than 200 orchid-patterned bags and each one he creates is unique since it is painted by hand and no bag is identical.
       "I like to give the best thing I can craft to like-minded people who care about the critical situation regarding our natural environment. While my customers can be proud of their one-of-a-kind bags, I am proud of my work," he said.
       His bags are decorated to appeal to both men and women.
       "Bags with a colourful design attract more female customers while those with blackand-white tones are popular among men,"explained Sunun.
       Though he keeps more than 10 handmade fabric bags for himself, Sunun still fashions new ones from time to time because wear and tear does finally catch up with them.
       "I don't want to feel I'm creating more trash by using plastic ones. A fabric bag is so convenient since it can be easily washed and repaired. To me convenience and versatility are my prime concerns when it comes to my choice of bag," he said.
       Asked how one can help tackle global warming, Sunun emphasised that it must first start with people's attitudes.
       "We must raise awareness among Thais that plastic is a dangerous waste product. It can pose great harm to both the natural environment and people themselves. We should all bear in mind that we should be aware of what we do in life and not create any adverse impacts on our planet," he stressed.m
       Tips on how to design the right bag for the right job and maintain its durability
       Different styles of bags serve different purposes so before designing it ask yourself what kind of bag will serve your purpose
       If the bag is used to keep personal accessories like combs and powders, it should be small and the cloth used to fashion it can be something simple like a rag
       If the bag is to be used for shopping,thick cloth is required since it has to withstand heavy weights. It should also be quite big in size
       A white fabric bag is not an ideal choice since it is somewhat difficult to keep clean
       Apart from painting, patterns on the bag can include embroidery or simple hand-written wording
       Wash the bag from time to time,especially if it is frequently used
       Tips on how to design your own fabric bag:
       Materials 1. Undyed cloth or used cloth 2. Paper and pencil 3. Acrylic colours and a brush 4. Needle, thread, and scissors Instructions
       1. Roughly design the style and pattern of the bag you want
       2. Cut a piece of cloth in the desired shape
       3. Manually sew a bag in the desired design and size for those who want something natural or use a sewing machine for those who want neat needlework
       4. Make the handles of the bags and adjust their length to suit your needs
       5. Paint the desired pattern on the bag with the acrylic colours