A number of designers are diverting PET plastic used in plastic bottle containers from landfills by turning it into spectacular jewelry. One recycled water bottle artisan is British designer, Tonya O'Hara. Her contemporary style jewelry, PET:cell is wearable eco art for sure! Every piece she uses is shaped by hand.
Shown here are her rings and earrings. She even uses the bottoms of large plastic bottles as packaging. Check out her online store and see!
Another find is fellow Canadian, Kumvana Gomani who turns pop and water bottles into a lovely winter inspired set. She is a trained industrial designer who completed her studies at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver.
Kumvana, who is of part Malawian heritage, is interested in environmental issues and is involved with the Bomanahalli India Jewelry Project helping women create jewelry from every day garbage.
TUTORIALS
Aunt Peaches who says she wears sweatpants and rhinestones without apology, wrote a clever tutorial for a necklace made from plastic water cups which can be easily varied as you can see. The recyclable plastic #6 lends itself to shrink plastic basics.
Tiffany Windsor had a different approach. She recycled water bottles by cutting out a support band for a bracelet. She covered it with fabric and added large buttons or beads. In her tutorial, she uses a die cutter for the fabric but you don't need that for a design of your own. As she said, it's a great way to recycle clothing too.
Before you go:
Via and via
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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
Shown here are her rings and earrings. She even uses the bottoms of large plastic bottles as packaging. Check out her online store and see!
Another find is fellow Canadian, Kumvana Gomani who turns pop and water bottles into a lovely winter inspired set. She is a trained industrial designer who completed her studies at the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver.
Kumvana, who is of part Malawian heritage, is interested in environmental issues and is involved with the Bomanahalli India Jewelry Project helping women create jewelry from every day garbage.
TUTORIALS
Aunt Peaches who says she wears sweatpants and rhinestones without apology, wrote a clever tutorial for a necklace made from plastic water cups which can be easily varied as you can see. The recyclable plastic #6 lends itself to shrink plastic basics.
Tiffany Windsor had a different approach. She recycled water bottles by cutting out a support band for a bracelet. She covered it with fabric and added large buttons or beads. In her tutorial, she uses a die cutter for the fabric but you don't need that for a design of your own. As she said, it's a great way to recycle clothing too.
Before you go:
- Shrink Plastic Jewelry Tutorials
- Amazing Jewelry made from Polypropylene Plastic
- Jewelry from Recycled Plastic Bags
Via and via
______________________________
Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips
I think Tonya O'Hara's pieces are just spectacular ! Very unique and innovative. Also since the girls today love large, bold earrings this would be a lovely way for them to have those earrings without all the weight attached.
ReplyDeleteThis is truly a fantastic article filled with abundant inspiration and I will certainly be looking at those PETE plastic bottles and containers differently now.
Great Pieces!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog today - all the pieces are fabulous. I was thinking about the Creative Bead Crochet book reviewed in an earlier blog. Maybe one could use a base made from a platic bottle to make one of the bracelets?
ReplyDeletevery cool!!
ReplyDeleteThese are very interesting pieces. It is really amazing how creative minds can come up with ways to recycle what most people just throw away. Really spectacular work.
ReplyDeleteHer pieces were inspiration for one of my school projects. Love her stuff.
ReplyDelete