Origami Meets Swedish (or the less glamorous Recycling Plastic)

There was a recent interview with South African designer Heath Nash in Ping mag in which he discusses his use of recycled plastic materials in his designs. He said a few things that rang true for me and perhaps to all those who use recycled materials. It is generally more expensive working with these materials that new as it is more time consuming reworking and sourcing them.

Listening to Mark Vaarwerk speak recently he mentioned how he had to incorporate other plastics into his signature plastic bag jewellery range as plastic bags were getting harder to find with the introduction of reusable shopping bags. He said how he keeps a stash of prized colours and rations them with care. These bags may have been free but they are rare. When he charges $500+ for a necklace make of plastic bags and silver there is an acknowledgment of this, as well as, of a process and a reputation that has developed over time.