Recycled Products You Can Use
Ever wonder what happens to those empty glass bottles and jars that get tossed into the recycling bin? At Tradewinds in Chenoweth Square you can see glassware made from recycled material that's both decorative and functional. "Ecoglass" bowls are made in Spain from 100 percent recycled glass. They come in two sizes--10.5 inches in diameter by four inches tall, and 13 inches in diameter by five inches tall--and have the greenish hue of an old-fashioned Coca Cola bottle. The rim of each bowl is pinched like a pie crust, giving it a ruffled look. Use one as a centerpiece to accent décor, or fill the bowls with fruit or salad. (They're dishwasher safe.) The small bowl costs $35, and the large version sells for $42. The same line of recycled glassware also includes platters and vases. Owner Paul Brooks says the pieces are "affordable, but look very elegant." Recycled Metal Garden Sculptures For a novel garden ornament that's also environmentally friendly, consider a sculpture made from recycled metals and old car parts at S. Bayly Boutique, off Frankfort Avenue, around the corner from Porcini's. Owner Lisa Porter gets the unusual art pieces from sculptor Tim Herndon of nearby Charlestown, Indiana. The unfinished, pre-rusted metal sculptures of cats, flowers made from wheels, faces formed from shovels, and large, abstract designs range in size from about 12 inches to several feet high, and cost $30 to $125. The good news at Just Creations on Frankfort Avenue is a line of hot pads and coasters made from recycled newspapers by the Women's Multipurpose Cooperative of Baguio City in the Philippines. Mimi Dillinger explains that the women wrap strips of newspaper around a single broom bristle, and then coil the wrapped bristles into circles joined with thread. The hot pads and coasters are then coated with starch and glue, making them hard and able to withstand both heat and moisture. The newsprint--including colors from ads and photos--shows through, giving each piece a unique look. The hot pads come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including an eight or nine-inch square ($6), an eight by 12-inch rectangle ($12), and a circular mat that's 12 inches in diameter ($12). The coasters are three by three inches, and come four to a set in a holder also made from recycled newsprint ($18). Dillinger says these durable pads and coasters are best-sellers for the shop, which exclusively features fair trade items, many of which, including the hot pads, are featured on the Ten Thousand Villages web site (www.tenthousandvillages.com). How often do we find something that's simultaneously pretty, practical and environmentally friendly? Stop in at the Spice Merchant in Chenoweth Square and check out Peasant Placemats, made of recycled craft paper. Dyed in a variety of colors--brick red, light brown, chocolate, ivory, tangerine, medium beige and hunter green--the mats are 17 by 12-inch rectangles with oblique corners and a vertical, crinkled texture. A dry wax coating repels water and stains, and the mats can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. A package of a dozen placemats is $17.95, and owner Linda Van Horn says customers are thrilled to discover these hard-to-find table accessories in her store. Natalie Goodin, manager of the Flooring Gallery on South Hurstbourne Parkway, is proud of the floor covering industry's new focus on green standards--guidelines to make all materials and practices environmentally responsible. Leading the way are manufacturers that are producing high quality floor coverings from recycled carpet and renewable resources. "Basura" is Spanish for "sweepings" or "garbage," which raises the question, why would anyone want to carry a handbag made from recycled garbage? Take a look at these colorful, durable purses and totes, called Basura Bags, and you'll quickly see that they make not only a fashion statement but a statement about environmental and social justice. According to the web site, www.basurabags.org, where you can view and purchase them, the founder of the company that produces and sells the bags is a former Peace Corps volunteer who came up with an ingenious way to clean up the streets of Honduras, and at the same time start a business that would generate profits to support that impoverished Central American nation.
Recycled Glass Bowls
Newspaper Hot Pads
Peasant Placemats
Recycled Carpet
At Shaw Industries, which makes Anso nylon, a recycler separates out fibers from old carpets, melts the fibers back into pellets, and then extrudes nylon fiber, good as new. "You would never know" the resulting new carpet is made from old, says Goodin, and it's available in all colors, styles and textures, including patterns and Berbers.
Mohawk, another major manufacturer, produces carpet from "smart strands" of DuPont Sorona, made from agricultural materials including corn. Goodin says the carpets that result come in all patterns and textures, look great, and feel "amazing," all while reducing or eliminating the use of petroleum-based materials.
Goodin says the cost of carpet made from recycled and agricultural materials is comparable to that of other carpet, but the benefits are enormous. Flooring Gallery has embraced the opportunity to sell these eco-friendly floor coverings, in part, she says, "because I have a seven-year-old, and I want to make sure she has something to live for."
Basura Bags
The purses are made completely from discarded chip bags gathered from Honduran streets that are cut, cleaned, dried, cut again and folded into bright zippered clutches, shoulder purses and handle bags that range in size from a 5.5 by 3.25-inch coin purse ($15) to a 16 by 12-inch tote ($95). No two bags are alike. All profits are donated back to Honduran school children. You can find these bags locally at S. Bayly Boutique, located off Frankfort Ave.
