In Santa Ana, El Salvador, a small artisan group known as Uca Ruffatti is making handbags and purses from discarded car and truck tires, and keeping El Salvador's roads and ravines clean while they're at it.

Using the inner tube found inside the outer tire, or the part that hits the pavement, these resourceful artisans cut and style the salvaged material into a fashionable and funtional purse or handbag. With an exterior designed to withstand the elements, these accessories are perfect for traveling, yet hip enough for the streets of New York City.

But wait, there's more. Uca Ruffatti's eco-friendly line has gained so much attention in the United States that the producer-owned cooperative is making plans to double production by the end of 2009.

Owner Maria de los Angeles de Ruffatti