Bottle Up: The Transformation of Glass Waste

In Zanzibar, tourism is a double-edged sword. It is a vital source of income for the island, but with it comes a lot of waste, especially in glass. So much glass, that it begins to overtake the natural surroundings.

As a result, six young Dutch designers decided to turn the waste into a contribution that was more meaningful, creating Bottle Up. They teamed up with local craftsman to transform glass waste into functional and beautiful products. The products are subsequently sold to tourists, coming full circle. As a result, the proceeds from the objects are invested into creating better solutions for processing all the excess waste.

Photos by Jeroen van der Wielen.

After surviving a quarter life crisis, Nanette went from working in healthcare canadian meds to pursuing her loves of design, food and writing. During the day she works in social media marketing, by night she writes for Design Milk. You can find more of her work at nanettewong.com.

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