When bags of dirt are laid flat atop one another and solidly tamped into place, they serve as a variation of "rammed earth" construction (which has a long tradition here in New Mexico) and can achieve a strength & stability equal to adobe bricks or concrete blocks. They've earned a reputation internationally as a low-tech building material & method that's accessible to anyone, and continues to rise in both popularity & reputability.

While the idea isn't new (think of the sandbag trenches & fortifications from World War I), their application as an alternative building material can be largely credited to Iranian architect Nader Khalili, who recognized that people left homeless in war zones and disaster areas around the world often have (if little else!) abundant access to three things; sandbags, barbed wire, and dirt.

The beauty of earthbags, especially in contrast to more conventional, rigid, mass-produced material (like cinder blocks), lies in their simplicity, their ease of handling, and their ability to be laid in curves...

perfect for bordering sinuous walkways, garden beds, terracing, erosion control, building arches, serving as foundations for cob or straw-bale constructions, or more ambitious projects!