ABOUT OUR RECYCLED PRODUCTS

As Via Cornwall has been developing, one aspect of it has really taken off and gains the most interest from customers, and that is our range of recycled products and environmentally friendly gifts. With daily reminders of environmental issues and the immediate need to be more aware of how and where to dispose of our waste, some really clever solutions have been found.

The term recycling simply means the reprocessing of old materials into new products, a simple idea, but one with some really fantastic results, not only for our environment, but for the arts and crafts.

For some people a pile of carrier bags or stack of old newspapers aren’t for the recycling depot, but are the beginnings of some incredible transformations, and I am always amazed at the creativity and imagination that goes into the unique eco-friendly and recycled arts and crafts. I have tried to choose a good cross section of examples of creative recycling in our collections at Via Cornwall, and am always on the lookout for new and interesting ideas.

Our recycled gifts and crafts come from a wide variety of sources. The recycled crisp packet handbags and purses that we sell are made in Mexico from factory second bags.

The traders in these products say ‘These bags are destined for the landfill, which are in effect doubly wasteful as they never even got to hold the crisps. Carefully woven and shaped by hand, more than 200 crisp packets disappear into a bag. 50% is paid in advance on all orders to help fund raw materials, so the producers are never out of pocket, and the remaining 50% is paid on delivery. The work is vital to the welfare and development of the families of the producers of these items.’

The company that we purchase these items from is also pleased to be a member of the British Association of Fair Trade Shops, an organization that checks the Fair Trade credentials each year before renewing membership for the following year.

The recycled plastic chickens and pigs are made in South Africa under fair trade schemes as are the tin animals that are made from recycled drink cans collected from the streets around Cape Town. The recycled drink cans are washed and stripped and woven to make the incredible animals.

Our collection of recycled jewellery has been made here in Cornwall. The gorgeous necklaces have been re-styled from old beads and bits and pieces of plastic tubing, creating some really stunning, fun and colourful pieces. An overflowing pile of newspapers destined for the recycling bin have been used to create the lovely paper mache heart brooches, and the recycled button brooches are a really clever way of turning an old biscuit tin of buttons into modern stylish pieces of jewellery. Second hand woollen blankets are felted and dyed using natural dyes, to create the beautiful, soft rose brooches. These look great as an accessory on a hat or pinned to an old handbag to give it a new lease of life. We also have recycled accessories elsewhere on the site, such as handbags and purses made by Poppy Treffry in our accessories selection which are made from recycled vintage fabrics, and art sculptures made from recycled sweet wrappers in our For the home section.

Personally I have become more conscious of making sure that I re-use and recycle as much as possible, so if your package turns up a little dog-eared, don’t worry, your goods will be ok, I’m just trying to re-use envelopes and bubble wrap.