When it comes to style and quality, the clutches of Paris or the shoulder bags of Milan are not the alpha and the omega.

Another option is being fashioned in Bangladesh from staple materials by skilled local workers.

For Eriko Yamaguchi, 35, the designer and owner of bag maker Motherhouse, developing countries are not places to exploit for cheap labor just to expand her business. Her philosophy is to create high-end products from underdeveloped countries that support the local economy.