When litter cast a not-so-lekker shadow on Riebeek Valley, Nico Rens decided to do something pretty creative. What began as an experiment to turn plastic bottles and tops into chandeliers and lights has become a whole movement!

Riebeek-Kasteel, South Africa (15 October 2024) — When artist Nico Rens moved to the Riebeek Valley several years ago, he couldn’t ignore the duality of the area. On the one hand, there were charming villages against great backdrops of natural beauty. On the other, plastic and waste seemingly grew from the ground; ruining precious parts of the Valley with litter galore.

With a background in architecture and interior design, Nico was no stranger to coming up with clever solutions creatively. Seeing the litter problem as something bigger, he decided to begin experimenting; tinkering with the idea that if the waste was simply remodelled, it might become something fantastic.

 

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Nico began making chandeliers by reworking plastic bottles, containers and lids as part of the design. But, he was just one person and the waste problem needed a lot more hands on deck. So, he decided to launch a plastic waste collection program amongst the local youth.

Many of the young people were interested in how he transformed the plastic. Nico realised that he could tackle the environmental problems and problems related to social upliftment, and soon, a new project was born!

In collaboration with FOR Life Centre, a Non-Profit Organisation that fosters social upliftment, development and reconciliation through community arts programs in the Valley, the new project offered a way to equip people with a means not just to tackle waste but to transform it.

It provided workshops around waste management and collection, recycling, design, construction, and ultimately upcycling!

When Megan Wilson, an acclaimed theatre director, producer and actor among many other titles, learned of the project, she saw its potential for even more good.

What if it could become something that spreads awareness about environmental issues and the means to empower oneself by tackling them? What if it could offer sustainable employment and training to uplift the local community and extend further into the Western Cape? The lightbulb moment had hit, and it wasn’t long until Africa Illumination was born!

 

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Just like Nico’s original work, Africa Illumination creates lighting from upcycled materials. With four community members employed, the idea has already helped people not only give back to their environment and put food on the table, but connect to a greater sense of purpose.

In fact, team leader Johannes Dirks shares that it is work that is “food for his soul”.

With help from Nico’s brother, Gerhard Rens, a retired engineer, the designs have only gotten more functional.

The team is small, but the spotlight on them is enlarging. They have already participated in Solo Studios—Intimate Art Encounters 2024 in Riebeek Kasteel, as well as the Stanford in Bloom festival. Not to mention some features on TV and customers who have purchased the creations from as far as Canada!

These Riebeek Valley locals are showing us that a little extra care and a lot of creative juices can go a long way, and in more directions than just sustainable living. You can check out their goods at the square in Riebeek-Kasteel or right here.

Sources: Email Submission 

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Cape Town-based artist Gavin Larkin has reimagined the beyond-famous Mona Lisa in a fascinating way: through upcycled materials!

Cape Town, South Africa (29 September 2024) — Cape Town-based artist and photographer Gavin Larkin has reimagined one of the most famous paintings of all time in a series of captivating wonders. Here, the old saying ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ couldn’t be more fitting. In fact, ‘One man’s trash might just be another’s Mona Lisa’.

Originally from Port Elizabeth, Gavin has long been drawn to the visual curiosities of the world. Inspired by the French Impressionists, nature and the art of painting ‘en plein air’, Gavin has quite a knack for snatching big and expressive moments, and remastering them on a much smaller canvas.

But, his series of Mona Lisas’ reimagined strikes a different chord of creativity.

Here, we see the painting that’s had the world’s eyes upon it for ages. Yet, it is not an exhibition of paint. One Mona Lisa is a mosaic of plastic bottle tops. Another boasts metal bottle caps cured in resin, collected mostly from Muizenberg. There’s also the ‘It’s in the Can’ rendition of the Mona Lisa; made from beverage cans. Not to mention the ‘Keeping Tabs’ Mona Lisa, who, you guessed it, has been constructed through pull tabs.

 

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A post shared by Youngblood Africa | Gallery & Event Space (@youngblood_ct)

Upcycling crafted in this delicate way offers the viewer quite the juxtaposition. Here is the waste we so often turn our noses up in its ugly imposition, so beautifully mended together to create a masterpiece.

“Much emphasis is placed on experimentation with used (waste) and new materials and mediums, whilst always striving to be unique and original,” reads the artist’s statement.

“Being on the cutting edge of modern art is where my interest is,” it furthers. And really, what could be more cutting edge than turning the eyesores of our world into quite the opposite?

You can visit the artworks at Youngblood Africa in Cape Town this September.

Sources: GTG; Gavin Larkin; Youngblood 

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Fashion students from Pretoria have turned a local mall into something of a runway with gowns and garments that look as if they were hand-picked from a futuristic ball where sustainability is king:

Pretoria, South Africa (04 July 2024) — Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria might as well be called the Brooklyn Ball at present after breathtaking gowns graced the shopping centre. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was the work of talented, cutting-edge designers, but you’d also be wrong. This was actually the work of fashion students who were challenged by one of South Africa’s favourite community-serving organisations to make some magic. Needless to say, the assignment was understood perfectly, and now we have gowns and garments that look as if they were hand-picked straight from a ball where sustainability rules the ton.

Here’s how the looks came to be: 67 Blankets for Mandela Day challenged the fashion students from the STADIO School of Fashion to create handcrafted looks made from an array of sustainable and upcycled materials. This was all part of an idea to show the public the unlimited potential repurposed materials have, as part of the Curated Collection campaign.

 

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It’s something of a sustainable style showdown that’s got people talking for all the best reasons. But, it’s also something of a fairytale as the students became Cinderella’s mice and turned materials generally associated with a certain trope of look or altogether forgotten, into something much greater that can last for ages.

Commenting on the finished products, the 67 Blankets for Mandela Day team sang the student’s praises; sharing that their expectations were well surpassed.

You can visit the looks for yourself, and you might just be inspired to give that old knitted blanket a new lease on life in a way you’d never previously imagined.

Sources: STADIO School of Fashion; 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day 

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A local upcycler, designer and businesswoman has reminded small businesses never to underestimate how far their dreams can take them. She reshared the moment a big celebrity rocked her pieces after she worried no one would wear the clothes she sold:

Cape Town, South Africa (12 June 2024) — A local upcycling business based in Cape Town has reminded all small businesses never to underestimate how far and wide their dreams might be received after upcycler, designer and businesswoman Alexa Schempers recounted the special moment that none-other-than Julia Fox did an interview wearing pieces from her store.

Now to understand what a big deal this is, you need to understand that Julia Fox has a serious name in the world of fashion—renowned for her feminist and free-spirited approach to fashion for the female-gaze. Some might also recall her from Uncut Gems where she starred in the film alongside Adam Sandler.

Alexa’s business Rethread is all about upcycling, sustainable and vintage pieces—an approach to the industry that ignited her passion when she was studying in Amsterdam and became exposed to the wonderful world of circular fashion and redesign as she explains.

But, as it is for any new business (no matter how wholesome the dream may be) the beginning of the journey naturally brims with excitement and doubt. Alexa recalls starting her business in 2020 and her worries about whether anyone would actually wear her clothes.

In a heartwarming clip, Alexa shared the worries she faced then alongside a cut to the likes of Julia doing an interview in her pieces after discovering Alexa’s business on TikTok.

@rethread_Stilling recovering from this moment tbh. Manifesting Alexa Demie next

♬ baddie background – Dersim

For many South Africans, cracking into markets overseas is a difficult feat. But with social media changing the way businesses can connect with new audiences, Alexa’s story is a reminder that you never know who is watching your content, or who your next big fan could be!

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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You would never say that these protea artworks were once bins, but thanks to the better.bellville.together project these transformed ‘flower bins’ are now vibrant reminders of what can happen when you throw in a little creativity!

Bellville, South Africa (26 April 2024) — Just when we thought the better.bellville.together (BBT) project couldn’t get any more creative, those working hard to uplift Bellville in the most clever ways kicked things up a notch with what are easily some of the most gorgeous upcycled creations we’ve ever seen! A gift to the residents of Bellville, these ‘flower bins’ remind all of us of the magic that happens when creativity and community consciousness join forces.

This month, the BBT transformed old, worn-out bins into breathtaking flowers inspired by our national flower, the protea.

For the BBT team, the upcycling project “echoes the impact and transformation the better.bellville.together initiative has had over the last two years”.

Going a step beyond the symbolism the flower bins express, they are also such a fun way to show community members the beauty of being waste-conscious and upcycling.

The ‘flower bins’ are some of the latest creative wins for the community of Bellville, following other artistic efforts including the mosaic tile installation that transformed De Lange Street, new mural work and bottle tops makeovers in taxi ranks that inspired South Africans everywhere.

What is Better. Bellville. Together?

The better.bellville.together initiative is a pioneering effort dedicated to revitalising Bellville. It is working on doing this in three main ways:

• Community engagement
• Business investment
• Sustainable practices

Funded by the City of Cape Town through the Economic Growth Directorate, it is administered by the Greater Tygerberg Partnership.

The idea is to leverage community assets and infrastructure as well as services to make a Bellville that’s safer, cleaner and bound to instilling a sense of pride in residents. Because many community members get involved in the projects, they then are better positioned to care for what they have helped create.

Sources: Greater Tygerberg Partnership 

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So many office items ended up as waste or in landfills, during and after the pandemic. But what would these items look like if instead, they had a second chance at life? The upcoming UPCYCLE exhibition is gearing up to give us a look:

Cape Town, South Africa (05 March 2024) — The spaces we work in have changed greatly in the past four years. But, so has our relationship with the biggest space of all—the planet we call home. Merging these two ideas and inviting us all to be freely inspired by them, is the UPCYCLE Exhibition, set to pop up in Cape Town next month.

The exhibition’s organisers believe that the working world has massive potential to join in on the circularity movement—ie: the upcycling movement which gives waste a chance to be reworked into treasure.

Reconfiguration of the workspace in the post-Covid world has led to a mounting tide of discarded office equipment and furniture that either lazes around in storage, ends up on an over-supplied second-hand market, or worse—in landfill.

But, with clever designers and artists playing a critical role in imagining new possibilities for the things that fill up our spaces, hopes are hot that creative change can make an important dent in influencing the corporate world to get on board with the conscious world.

The UPCYCLE exhibition then, is on a mission to tackle the bigger issues of sustainability and regenerative design through the vehicle of unbounded creativity. Not limited by function and challenged to create a thought-provoking spectacle that will ignite powerful conversation, a select group of designers and artists have been tasked with breathing bold new life into discarded office equipment and furniture pieces.

Among the exhibition’s participants are Congolese artist Patrick Bongoy, sisters Viveka and Rucita Vassen of Ananta Design Studio, Nisha and Justus van der Hoven of Hoven Design, Laurie Wiid of Wiid Design, Amaury Watine, who is the Creativity and Innovation Director Tétris EMEA, Adrian Davidson.

The exhibition will be open to the public at Makers Landing at V&A Waterfront on 19 and 20 April 2024. On Friday 19 April, design students will be welcomed for a special student-focused day, and on Saturday 20 April there will be a free curated walkabout with the artists and designers at 11h00. 

Get ready to explore the future of the workspace!

• Date: 19-20 April 2024 
• Venue: Makers Landing, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
• Opening hours: 10h00-21h00, Friday-Saturday
• Cost:  Entrance to the exhibition and Makers Landing is free
• Parking: Secure paid parking is available at Makers Landing

Sources: Supplied

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A Soweto Seamstress’ skills have wowed and evoked wonder upon thousands thanks to her upcycling talents!

Soweto, South Africa (31 January 2024) — A Soweto seamstress’ skills have left people from all over the world feeling ever so inspired to get into their upcycling groove after she shared her talented work on social media.

If you’re no stranger to the social media community, the ‘Up-cycled Cloth Collective’, you know that every day is a new day to be inspired by what the community’s creative wizards can do with forgotten materials. Started by South Africa-based Melanie Brummer, UCC connects creative crafters from all over the world, and last week, Pattie Mamotheo’s creation was the star of the show.

The Soweto seamstress’ wowed and evoked wonder upon thousands after she shared the gorgeous pieces she had made from scrap materials. A shawl, skirt and bag, all from scraps.

People were so impressed with her eye, handiwork work and pose, and deemed the culmination should find space in Vogue Magazine. Others shared their infectious inspiration, to which Pattie noted that she is encouraged to encourage others.

There’s something undeniably enchanting about Pattie’s creation; taking pieces of leftover art to make a lot of beauty. Whether the Soweto Seamstress’ skills take her to Vogue or not, she’s already earned her own version of a magazine cover.

Often, conversations surrounding sustainable fashion put the emphasis on the positive environmental impact something like upcycling serves. But the beauty of the new that can be created from what was has its own place of importance and speaks to the humanity of wanting to create.

Meanwhile, in other news about South African upcyclers who earned their moment in the sun, a local mom’s clever use for paper bags went viral!

Sources: Up-cycled Cloth Collective

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If you have kids and enough paper bags from the grocery store to build a small house, this South African Mom’s viral upcycling hack was meant to find you!

South Africa (28 January 2024) — A South African mom (who also happens to be award-winning broadcaster Lebang Kgosana) has made upcycling go viral after she gave grocery store paper bags a second chance at life in the most practical way.

Many South Africans know ‘the drawer’—AKA, the home of all the bags you say you’ll reuse but almost always forget to. Whether they’re material or paper, these bags often build up to the point where it wouldn’t be unreasonable to build a small house from them.

Beyond the discipline that is the art of reusing these bags lies another great idea: upcycling!

This is exactly what Lebang did when wrapping her children’s books for the school year, and with over 6.1 million views on TikTok, it’s safe to say that her idea caught the internet’s attention.

Taking bags that have made many a local smile in times of hunger before, mama Lebang gave the full run down on how to wrap the books neatly, while serving the purpose of reusable paper bags.

@lebangkgosana My online grocery shopping bags being recycled as we cover some school books!! #BackToSchool #fyp ♬ original sound – #LifeWithLebang

While some users had reservations surrounding how ‘aesthetic’ the books looked, others defended it, noting that there is a lesson covering those pages: being resourceful and mindful of materials that are meant to be re-used.

Some even nodded that they’d take the tip for their university notebooks, while teachers also agreed that the idea was one that needed to go further.

Even if you don’t have notebooks that need covering, a mindset that sees one product as potential for another is something makes a shift in our efforts for the Earth.

Meanwhile, if you know a South African sustainable thinker like this creator, you can nominate them for these upcoming sustainability awards! 

Sources: TikTok

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We’re spotlighting some of the people and places building the path to a more wholesome SA through all kinds of upcycling initiatives. Thanks to their choice to give goods multiple new chapters, they’re making South Africa a better part of the planet to be.

South Africa (30 July, 2023) — The path to a more wholesome SA that’s cleaner and considerate of the environment is being paved every day. On the path are a lot of initiatives and South Africans making them possible; from people who recycle like it’s a sport to organisations that have made creativity their secret weapon.

Part of a wholesome SA’s future means making certain mindsets second nature; including supporting sustainable stances and upcycling finesse.

To spark some inspiration toward how impactful upcycling can be, we’ve collected a few people and places who are upcycling their way to a more wholesome SA we’d love to see.

First, What is Upcycling?

Where recycling means being able to use a product or item multiple times over, upcycling means giving a product that might traditionally be seen for single-use (or use that will wear down) again in a new form. Think of it as shapeshifting or recreating something for another purpose, like plastic bags that become long-lasting fashion items, waste that becomes school shoes or even eWaste (electronic waste) that becomes a sculpture.

Meet the People and Places Upcycling Their Way to a More Wholesome SA:

Upcycle 

Upcycle cleans up corporate waste by turning ‘garbage’ into all kinds of creative gifts, from notebooks to plant hangers, jewellery and toys. Their initiative helps glass, plastic, paper and cardboard become a plethora of new items and often you’d never even know your new vase lived an entire life before. They also empower community crafters who support themselves by making the products you’ll see in the Zero Waste Store.

Singakwenza 

Singakwenza helps create sustainable toys that are upcycled mostly from packaging that’s usually tossed aside. Bread bags turn to skipping ropes and plastic lids become educational games.

The Litterboom Project

The Litterboom Project is an established waste reclamation innovation that started their own Innovation Hub in 2022. They also have a Wastepreneur programme where plastic gets a new purpose and people get the opportunity to earn in the process.

GoDiva

When it comes to empowering women through eco-activism, GoDiva are your queens. Their sanitary products are reusable, sustainable and made from upcycled cloth masks!

You Made This 

YMT doubles as an upcycling initiative and a dose of art activism raising environmental awareness. These artists tackle a waste problem most of us don’t always have front of mind—Ewaste. They turn tossed electronics into artistic sculptures, and in the process create thought-sparking moments.

Shooz Life 

In an effort to create more school shoes for young students in need, Shooz Life upcycles waste materials to create fully recyclable ‘Shooz’. To date, they’ve made over 5000 pairs already.

Wastecrete 

Wastecrete gives non-recyclables a chance to enter the construction industry; turning waste into fireproof, damp-resistant bricks. You might remember them from this epic initiative where they created bricks from plastic hangers, fabric cut-offs and cardboard.

Re.Bag.Re.Use

Re.Bag.Re.Use creates carry bags (and other accessories) that are crocheted from plastic. The upcycling of these bread bags, fruit and veggie packs as well as black plastic bags has created income opportunities for women in the Western Cape and Gauteng.

The Up-cycled Cloth Collective

The UCC is a community of creative upcycled who will give anyone keen to get into upcycled loads of inspiration. Started by South African-based Melanie Brummer, the community has spread all over the world.

Sources: GTG

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Sustainability will run through the 2024 Paris Olympics. While it might not take the podium, it will definitely take a front-row seat and this is how Paris is leading the charge!

Paris, France (16 July, 2023)—As the clock winds down until the 2024 Paris Olympics, another champion will feature among the world’s best athletes. Sustainability will be in the spotlight as part of the most famous Games, and while it might not take the podium it is definitely taking a front-row seat. In fact, it’s taking all the seats!

Next year’s Olympics are set to be the greenest Games to date, and one way the Olympic committee is doing this is by creating seating made up of chairs that have been upcycled from plastic waste. Tens of thousands of seats will see plastic waste live a new life at various stadiums like the Arena at Porte de la Chapelle in Paris and the Olympic aquatic centre.

This helps give plastic waste sourced from recycling bins a new life while spotlighting upcycling at a series of events the world will be watching.

This initiative coincides with the Games’ Climate Coach for Events’ tool which is aimed at reducing the carbon footprint sporting events hold.

The tool helps with assessments and reduction solutions for events and comes at no charge.

Together these initiatives are projected to halve carbon emissions the previous Olympic Games have seen.

“Organising a more responsible Olympic and Paralympic Games is an absolutely critical objective for Paris 2024. The Games act like a laboratory for developing solutions, as the Climate Coach for Events, that can be applied to all sporting events.

“We invite all those involved in sport to seize this opportunity, so that we can leave a legacy of a more socially and environmentally virtuous model,” as Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games said. 

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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