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UPCYCLING MEETS CRAFTSMANSHIP

When upcycling meets traditional craftsmanship, beautiful design happens!⁣ The growing concern about climate change and the rise of the circular economy are pushing designers and brands to turn their attention to sustainable materials and processes. ⁣

We have been witnessing a growing interest in traditional skills and craftsmanship as a way not only to reclaim one’s own identity and heritage but also as an alternative to experiment with sustainable ⁣materials and process. ⁣With global market disruption due to pandemic, this trend is likely to accelerate, and we already see plenty of cases in the latest design fairs we covered, such as Maison & Objet as well as London Design Festival. ⁣

SAMESAME showcased at M&O this September, for example, is a series of upcycled glass objects presented by German designer Laura Jungmann in collaboration with glassmaker Cornelius Réer. ⁣


⁣The bespoke Samesame pieces are created by upcycling existing glassware using traditional glassblowing techniques. Laura Jungmann and Cornelius Réer reformed mass-produced glass bottles, such as beer and wine bottles, into unique candle holders, carafes, decanters and vases. ⁣
By doing so, they managed to extend disposable products lifecycle and to add value to what otherwise would become waste. ⁣

Réer holds each bottle with a blowpipe and reheats it using a typical glassblowing oven. A beer bottle, for example, was picked up from the neck and re-inflated, while a water bottle was held from the bottom and the neck opened up, transforming it into a carafe. ⁣

“Some of the products get new functions, like the water carafe, some gain a new quality just through the contradictory aesthetic of the industrial features combined with the handmade character,” said Jungmann.  ⁣

SAMESAME collection pays homage to glass blowing craft while giving life to sustainable and unique designs. We absolutely love it!⁣

*Photo Credit: Celine Hurka

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