Wayland Patch 2/6/13: Purses with Purpose: Wayland Business Makes Environmentally, Socially Conscious Bags. When Priya Samant’s second child was born seriously ill in 2008, Samant knew that her son would require all her care for a time and her job in the technology and software sector had to go. Now, looking back (and with a healthy son), Samant calls those early difficult days a “blessing in disguise.” The situation forced her to leave her job and, once her son was on the mend, to seek a new career path. It turned out to be one that took her back to her roots in India and her passion for textiles. “The next thing I knew, I was using my education and passion to do something worthwhile,” Samant said. In 2009, Samant formed EarthFrendz, a company based in Wayland, but operating out of New Delhi and Mumbai to produce environmentally and socially conscious handbags, laptop bags, wallets and wristlets in an economically feasible way.