Recycled glassware from old bottles

Filed in Blog by on March 16, 2009 21 Comments
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recycled glass made from bottlesI’ve decided to have an easy week and I’m going to highlight some funky goings-on from around the web world. Paul from Ecoutlet, shared a video with me about Andy the recycled glass man! This is one from of a series of videos, highlighting some of Ecoutlet’s suppliers and the methods used in their product manufacturer.

It’s a great little film; amusing and educational and should help you understand more about recycling bottles into stylish glassware.

On the Ecoutlet site it’s easy to choose the products you are looking for as each item has an icon next to it to tell you at a glance what the benefits are and why they are environmentally friendly. Whether you’re preference is UK manufactured, biodegradable or recycled, it’s easy to shop for a great range of ethical products.

Along with these lovely recycled glasses, you’ll find bicycle clips made from old bicycle tyre inners, recycled stationary from CD cases, polystyrene packaging and car tyres, a great selection of bags and belts made from juice cartons and old fire hoses along with household essentials like recycled aluminium film and waste paper bins made from beautiful Japanese magazines.

After you’ve had a browse of all the great recycled products, sit down for a minute and learn how bottles get made into drinking glasses with this great video:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQgSB73260Q&feature=channel_page

About the Author ()

I am a long time supporter of the Green and Sustainable lifestyle. After being caught in the Boscastle floods in 2004, our family begun a journey to respect and promote the importance of Earth's fragile ecosystem, that focussed on reducing waste. Inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness of this wonderful planet, I have published numerous magazine articles on green issues and the author of four books.

Comments (21)

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  1. What a fantastic video – I’m in need of new glasses too. 😀

  2. Carole Blake says:

    Hi Mrs Green,

    The guys at Cornwall’s http://www.greenglass.co.uk have been doing this for ages!! Their workshop is literally less than half a mile from where I live, and they have some very cool products.

    Carole.

  3. Oh, the one in the picture is beautiful!

  4. Karin says:

    I’ve come across this kind of thing before. I don’t know if it was the same company, but I do think it’s an ingenious way to reuse old bottles, and presumably uses less energy to make than melting the bottles down first and then pouring the molten glass into moulds.

    However, I’m afraid I prefer the shape and look of these glasses from Traidcraft, which are not quite so sustainable, but are Fairtrade to compensate.

    However, if/when my son finally moves out, I think he might like a few glasses made out of coke bottles. I think he would find them ‘cool’.

  5. Karin says:

    I can’t post the link.

    You can find the glasses, made from recycled glass, on the Traidcraft shop, in house and home, in the kitchen and dining section.

  6. Sarah says:

    Hi Greens!
    Sorry I’ve been missing in action so to speak, life got suddenly madly busy and pc time became limited and focused on business stuff.
    But, back now! Hmm, I know a wine drinker who would adore some of those glasses for a present. Shame her birthday isn’t until nearly Christmas….

  7. Mrs Green says:

    @Almost Mrs Average: Glad you liked it, Mrs A. Go shop!

    @Carole Blake: Ooo, can you visit, Carole? I bet that would be a great place to visit and watch the process taking place.

    @Kristen@The Frugal Girl: They are very elegant aren’t they, Kristen? I guess you have products like this in the states?

    @Karin: Hi Karin, I think Andy prides himself on the fact that it is low energy and doesn’t require melting down. Supporting fairtrade is another important aspect of ethical purchasing and, at the end of the day, it’s important we enjoy the products we have in our home – we are more likely to keep hold of them for longer. I love some of the traidcraft stuff too 🙂
    Here is the link for interested parties:
    http://www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/c-204-kitchen-and-dining.aspx

    @Sarah: Hi Sarah, lovely to see you again. You were missed! Glad the business needs your attention; I take it that means you are busy; which is wonderful – go you. You can always create a wishlist and waft it under suitable noses at around October time LOL!

  8. Tracey Priesltey says:

    Hi, I bought some of these at Covent Garden in London just before Christmas. They are stunning glasses and I was amazed to watch the video to see how little energy is used in reusing these bottles. I have got the spotted glasses because I think they are like strawberries – roll on summer for strawberries and cream
    Tracey

  9. Tracey Priesltey says:

    I’ve just been looking at the Greenglass website as I had not heard of them before and I can’t believe how much energy has to go into making their glasses compared to these ones. I am defiantely going to get some more when I am next in London
    Tracey

  10. Alice says:

    Hi,
    I’ve just been on the ecoutlet website. Its great, you’re right its really easy to make sound choices. I’ll be doing some shoping there in future, for these glasses and lots of other things.
    I love the video its nice to see how things are made.
    Alice

  11. Sarah says:

    @Mrs Green: yes, business went nuts for a while and then the sun came out….

  12. Sarah says:

    @Mrs Green: yes, business went nuts for a while and then the sun came out….

    I have bookmarked the recycled glasses sites for later perusal!

  13. Mrs Green says:

    @Tracey Priesltey: Hi Tracey, good to see you; the spotty glasses like strawberries sound lovely! I agree that the overall energy use is amazing and it’s great to see people who care enough to create a product that ticks more of the ethical boxes. We’re wishing Andy lots of success 🙂

    @Alice: Hi Alice, it’s good to take a peek behind the scenes isn’t it. And I’m glad you like the ecoutlet site too; Paul has put a lot of thought into the presentation to make it easy to inform yourself about products.

    @Sarah: Yay! good news; never let the sun stop play! Glad you’ve had a great start to your business year.

  14. Karin says:

    Thanks for providing the link, Mrs G.

  15. @Mrs Green: Those champagne glasses look remarkably like the ones I’ve just purchased from Ethical Superstore as a wedding present for DS2’s teacher. (got an invite to the night do).

  16. Andy says:

    Hi,
    Thanks for your comments about the video! It was great fun making it with Paul!!
    I’m glad so many of you like my glasses. Mrs Green, you are right, I do realy pride myself in the low impact my products have on the environment.
    Andy

  17. Mrs Green says:

    @maisie dalziel: Have a great time at the wedding do, Maisie. What a lovely present you have bought them 🙂

    @Andy: welcome to the site Andy; it’s great to see you here revelling with all your fans 🙂 I think you might have found yourself some more sales throughout the year and we’re very impressed with the overall low impact of your products; more and more people are looking for this with their purchases.
    Best of luck for your continuing success.

  18. The only snag is I now have to find a nice box to present them in.

    They came wrapped in bubble wrap and in a normal brown cardboard box, which doesn’t look good; this was then inside another box with brown paper around it as padding.

    I did also get a sheet of recycled wrapping paper in which to wrap the said gift.

  19. Mrs Green says:

    @maisie dalziel: Did you manage to find anything, maisie? You might have to get creative and make your own, or what about wrapping in material? Maybe a couple of tea towels as it’s a wedding gift!

  20. Theresa says:

    Hi, I bought some of Andy’s glasses from ecoutlet and was impressed with both the glasses and the quick delivery. Great to see the video
    Theresa

  21. Mrs Green says:

    Hi Theresa, great to hear of another satisfied customer. I think we’ll all be buying some at this rate!

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