Anyone can discard an unwanted item; it’s far more difficult, however, to creatively contend with garbage. The innovations in this slideshow have all done so in spades. From unusual designer trash bins to incredible art pieces comprised of recycled refuse, it’s a wonder anyone manages to actually throw anything away at all. Savvy advertisers and activists have even used trash to advance their respective agendas.
Check out these and other trashtastic innovations in the collection below.
61 Creative Ways to Contend with Garbage
61
Clothes Made of Garbage
Trashy Fashion at Recycle Now Week
60
Recycling Garbage into Art
From Freaky Doll Chandeliers to Garbage Chairs
59
Shoe Made of Garbage
Nike Trash Talk
58
Trash Into Art
Amazing Beer Can Butterflies (UPDATE)
57
Garbage Dump Turned Eco-Theme Park
Ariel Sharon Park
56
Celebrities Removing Trash
Sophia Loren Wants to Clean Naples
55
Body Parts in Garbage Cans for The Truth Campaign
54
Garbage Art
Artist Turns Trash to Time Capsule
53
Trashy Fashion
Wearable Recycled Art From WalterWorks
52
Personal Dumpsters
The Bagster
51
Soda Can Underwear
Trashy Lingerie
50
Schering Bangkok
Crying Garbage Can Ad Campaign for Birth Control
49
Garbage Seafood II
Guerrilla Campaign Packages Garbage as Seafood
48
Garbage Chic
Black Bin Bag Couture
47
Celebs Made of Garbage
A-List Mosaic Makeover Portraits Are Pretty Trashy
46
Garbage As Art
German Artists Create 1000 Statues From Domestic Refuse
45
Recycled Garbage Projections
Eco Shadow Sculpting
44
Garbage Seafood
Shock Visuals For Clean Seas
43
Trash Photos
'DeletedImages' Junkyard of Art
42
Trash to Treasure Artwork
Chrissie MacDonald Recycled Junk Mail
41
Recycled Trash Sculptures
Eco-Art by El Anatsui
40
Coffee Taste Like Crap? Ad Firm Brands Garbage Cans Outside Competitor Shops
39
Search by Trash
Earth's Journey Eco Art Gallery For Green Chic Discoveries
38
Sewage & Garbage As Fuel
Hydrogen Fuel From Biodegradable Garbage
37
Rabbit Garbage Bags
MAQ Inc Makes Trash Cute
36
Luxury Garbage Bags
35
Expanding Garbage Can
Growing Bin
34
Garbage-Filled Furniture
XS Chair
33
Plama Process Converts Garbage into Clean Energy
32
Orbiting Space Junk
Images of Earth's Garbage Ring
31
Cameras Made of Garbage
Miroslav Tichy's Trash Cameras
30
Beer Can Butterflies
More Garbage as Art
29
Recycling Made Easy
Elegant Barcode Trashcan
28
$1M Piece of Garbage
Dumpster Divers Recover "Tres Personajes" Painting by Rufino Tamayo
27
Manmade Islands from Trash
Turning a Gyre of Junk Into a Revitalized Ecosystem
26
Trash Collecting Jewelry
Multifunctional Brooch Doubles as a Mini Garbage Bin
25
Polka-Dotted Trash Bags
Street Art for Awareness
24
Guerrilla Trashcan Makeovers
The Five Black Bins Project
23
Trashtography Self-Portraits
Artist's Giant Collage is Comprised of Everything He Threw Out for 36
22
Creativity With Dumpsters
Eco and Art Skips
21
Building Bricks from Waste
HYmini POLLIBricks Made of Your Old Garbage
20
Bag Recycling Made Hip
The Tubelor Trash Can
19
Dumpster Diving
This Is The "Freegan" Life
18
Recycling Trash to Treasures
Plastic Toy Art by Robert Bradford
17
From Real to Virtual to Real Again
The Desktop Trashcan
16
Trash Ads
Brazil Salvation Army Campaign (Made From Real Garbage)
15
Personal Landfills
Sustainable Dave Collects Trash For 365 Days
14
NYC Garbage Art 2
Trash for Baseball Fans
13
Garbage Crochet
The Barkerbell Recycled VHS Tape Crochet Bag
12
3 Eco Chic Wastebins
Trash with Class
11
Trashy Office Accessories
Deck Yourself in Fake Ink Splats and Pencil Shaving
10
Guerrilla Election Campaigns
Trash Cans Marked "DC Ballot Box"
9
Recycled Cup Lights
DIY Garbage Lamps
8
Eco Umbrellas Made of Garbage
The Eco Brolly
7
Garbage Strollers
Carriages Made of Trash (For Credit Crunch Babies?)
6
Dumpster Dress-Up
8 Artsy Trash Receptacles
5
Starbucks-Inspired Garbage Cans
The Coffee Cup Rubbish Bin
4
Garbage Can Stepping Stools
The Bin Step
3
Inflatable Garbage Animals
Air Zoo by Joshua Allen Harris
2
Bomb-Proof Garbage Cans
London's Multitasking Recycling Bins
1
Musical Garbage Cans
Xylophone Bin by Dominic Wilcox
Related Ideas
Upcycled Waste Material Furniture
This Cardboard Furniture Design by Lee Lin is Modular
Multi-Material Home Composters
The Conceptual 'Toggle' Compost Bin Accepts Food Waste and Paper
Food Waste Sneakers
Hellmann's Canada Launched 1352: Refreshed Sneakers with Food Waste Items
Seaweed-Based Shoe Packaging
Ales Grey & Sway Partnered on Sustainable Footwear Packaging
Quirky Paper Wine Bottles
Magnotta Wines' Ugly Duck is Packaged in Fully Recyclable Paper
AI-Powered Waste Trackers
The Binit Household Waste Tracker Streamlines Recycling
Modern Magnetic Food Containers
The Cliik Food Storage System is Crafted with Tritan Plastic
Chic Utilitarian Trash Cans
Carden 'The Twin' Trash Can Has a Dual-Bucket Design
Designer Upcycled Bags
Comme Des Garçons Released Its Collaboration with FREITAG
Plastic Waste Ice Creams
Eleonora Ortolani Proposes a Different Way to Recycle Plastic Waste
Gamified Compost Bins
The Smart Palm Bin Awards Badges for Food Waste Reduction
Low-Value Plastic Recycling Methods
Ashaya Aims to Reuse Non-Recyclable Plastic Packaging
Recycling-Friendly Pump Designs
The P&G Product Pump Design Can Be Recycled without Disassembly
Eco-Friendly Bath Essentials
Bebo Seeks to Reimagine the Packaging of Kid's Bath Products
Urban Bottle Sustainable Initiatives
Heineken Presents Fields Green With Grass, Not Glass
Eco-Conscious Cleaning Product Packaging
Method is Introducing Recovered Coastal Plastic Packaging
Eco Storytelling Workwear Campaigns
Patagonia's We Can Get There From Here Tells is Inspiring
Upcycled Ingredient Ice Creams
Salt & Straw's Upcycled Foods Series Rescues Wasted Food
Recycled Ocean-Bound Plastic Bottles
The Ocean Bottle's GO Bottle Pushes Sustainable Efforts
Hyper-Fast Countertop Composters
The Vitamix FoodCycler Eco 5 Reduces Organic Waste by 90%
Inspiring Leftover Ads
Hellmann's Mayo Cat Super Bowl Ad Uses Mayonnaise to Fight Food Waste
Reusable Paper-Made Water Bottles
The 'reU' Reusable Water Bottle Concept is Recyclable
Refillable Shower Gel Systems
Wild's Shower Gel Refills are Compostable and Plastic-Free
Retail Overconsumption Campaigns
Coachtopia's 'The Wasted Parts' Explores Overconsumption Culture
AI-Powered Recycling Systems
The Conceptual 'Binko' Recycling Machine Automates Sorting
Plastic Intervention Programs
Cleancult's Program Helps Households Make Sustainable Changes
Scrap Material Footwear
Merrell Created a Scrap Shoe Collection for Zero Waste Week
Meditative Trash Campaigns
Hefty's Trash Time Out Provides Support During the Holiday Season
Waste-Reducing Produce Stickers
Grey Colombia & Makro's Stickers on Produce Suggest Recipes
Odor-Absorbing Diaper Cans
simplehuman Recently Debuted the New Diaper Can
Rice Straw Fashion Collections
Siam Kubota and Greyhound Original Launch 'Turn Waste to Agri-Wear'
Recyclable Apple Packaging Initiatives
Superfresh Growers Introduces a New Sustainable Packaging
Chic Recycled Waste Chairs
The 'XOX' Chair by Xingcheng Zhu is Made with Plastic Bottles and More
Plastic-Free Hotel Amenities
ZeroWaste Global Introduces Plastic-Free Guest Amenities for Hotels
Inflatable Portable Toilets
Kunrui Peng Designs the AirPot, a Lightweight Toilet Design
Multifunctional Glass Food Containers
These Containers Are Shatterproof, Stackable and Stylish
Ocean Waste Surfboards
The Floater Surfboard is Made Out of Recycled Materials & Raw Sewage
Whimsical Garbage Bags
Staff Expands Its Collection with Playful Garbage Bags
Convenience-Focused Upcycled Tote Designs
Out of the Woods Enhances Its Out of the Ocean® Range
Encouraging Jar-Reusing Campaigns
Kraft Mayonnaise's Initiative Encourages Consumers to Repurpose
Eco-Friendly All-Purpose Cleaners
Cleancult is Cutting 90% of Single-Use Plastic
Electric Food Recyclers
The FoodCycler Eco 3 Turns Food Scraps into an Odor-Free By-Product
Repurposed Pasta Boxes
Barilla & Marie Kondo are Sharing How to Reuse Packaging
Fridge-Decorating Trend Guides
The Takeout Published a Professional Chef's Guide on Fridgescaping
Recycled Plastic Condiment Packaging
Plastipak and Kraft Heinz Announced a New Partnership
Recycled Plastic Bottle Campaigns
Coca-Cola Promotes the Toss In, Take Out Initiative
Recycled Wallet Collections
FREITAG Boasts a New and Colorful Collection of Wallets
Deflated Balloon Clothing Hangers
Chong Shop Has Revamped the Iconic Clothes Hanger Using Waste
Recycled Beer Bottle Ads
Corona's Campaigns Encourage Consumers to Recycle Empty Packaging
Automated Anti-Odor Trash Cans
The ZitA SQUARE Has an Advanced Design and Aesthetic
Home-Compostable Cutlery
This LifeMade Cutlery Offers a Sustainable Alternative to Plastic
Laundry Microfiber Filters
Samsung's New Less Microfiber Filter Catches Small Plastics
Recycled Mini Golf Courses
Lab La Bla Made a Miniature Golf Course with Denim & Wine Corks
Fully Compostable Food Packaging
ETG ECO GREEN Unveils a New Line of 100% Compostable Products
Beer-Based Blister Packs
This Blister Packaging for Cosmetic Refills is Made from Beer By-Products
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Back-to-School Recycling Challenges
Takis and TerraCycle Teamed Up to Reward Recyclers
E-Waste Take-Back Boxes
Trashie's Tech Take Back Box Responsibly Recycles Electronic Devices
Duck-Like Waste Robots
The Conceptual 'Qua' Waste Management Robot Keeps Cities Cleaner
Upcycled Tortilla Beers
Chica Mexicana is Made with Imperfect Tortillas to Fight Food Waste
Cup-Stealing Clothing Collections
Stella Artois' Steal Artois Collection Honors Bar Culture
Recycled Diaper Packaging
Kimberly-Clark Collaborates with Amcor on a Sustainability Solution
Compostable Food Packaging Brands
Shanghai Timeco Industrial Uses Sugarcane Bagasse for Packaging
Private Label Compostable Cutlery
Walmart Great Value Compostable Cutlery is Affordable
Zero-Waste Hair Ties
Fizzy Goblet Introduces the New Zero-Waste Hair Ties Using Old Materials
Two-in-One Drinking Vessels
Bottlecup Combines an Insulated Water Bottle with a Coffee Cup
Food Waste Polyester Alternatives
ALT TEX Presents a "Radically Sustainable Polyester Alternative"
Plastic-Reduced Handwash Bottles
PZ Cussons Taps Terracycle to Create Refillable Packaging
Compostable Foodservice Packaging
The Eco-Products GreenStripe Line Has New Bags and Wraps
Eco-Friendly Dissolving Shampoo Bottles
BBDO Guerrero Designs the Dissolving Bottles of Shampoo
Food Waste Bioplastics Factories
Agrorenew is Transforming Watermelon Waste into Bioplastics
Discarded Shoe-Created Stools
The WU Series by BENTU Design is a Sustainable Alternative
Upcycled Ice Cream Desserts
Salt & Straw's Pints of the Month Help to Reduce Food Waste
Plastic-Free Alcohol Packaging
The Aldi Recyclable Alcohol Packaging Reduces Plastic Waste
Odorless Compost Kitchen Bins
The Mill Kitchen Bin Automatically Recycles Food Scraps
Traditional Food Preservation Containers
The 'Twist' Food Storage Container Has a Hidden Chamber
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Recycled Ocean Plastic Lighting
LightArt Presents the Ocean Coil Collection of Lamps
Pet Store Recycling Initiatives
The Pet Supplies Plus Recycle Program Features TerraCycle
Food Scrap Recycling Systems
The Next Generation Mill is Faster, Smarter and Quieter
Circular Packaging Services
Returnity's 'In Rotation' AIms to Reduce Packaging Waste
Retro 3D-Printed Bags
Coperni's CD-PLAYER Swipe Bag Resembles a Portable Music Player
Plastic-Exploring Art Exhibitions
The Everlasting Plastics Exhibition Explores Plastic Dependency
Wasteful Shopping Billboards
Not On The High Street's Billboards Highlight a "Don't Gift Guide"
Ohio-Based Refill Stores
Reduce & Reuse Refillery Helps Save Money and Reduce Packaging Waste
Circular Packaging Facilities
Again Launched 'CleanCell' and 'Tag' for the Circular Economy
Urban Debris-Crafted Portable Lamps
We+ Designs the Beautiful Remli Lamp Using Rubble and Debris
Versatile Egg-Shaped Waste Bins
Gianluca Soldi Designs a Next-Gen Waste Bin for Soldidesign
Sustainable QSR Litter Adverts
McDonald's Malta Presents New Captivating Eco-Centric Campaigns
Curbside Waste Bags
TerraCycle Launches a New Zero Waste Bag for Hard-to-Recycle Waste Streams
Rodent-Preventative Trash Bins
Group Project Designs a New BetterBin for New York City
Odor-Busting Waste Composters
This Compact Machine Allows For Convenient Indoor Composting
Biodegradable Bubblegum Packages
Milliways Launches a New Biodegradable and Recyclable Box Design
Recyclable Coffee Packaging
Pact Coffee Debuts a New Recyclable Packaging Design
Aluminum Cleaning Bottles
Cleancult Packages Cleaning Solutions in Waste-Reducing Packaging
Eco-Friendly Burger Packaging
GreenDustries' PleatPak Packaging Blends Sustainability and Function
Upcycled Sculptural Exhibitions
Madeline Continues to Grow her EPS [Expanded Polystyrene] Series
Plastic-Free Compostable Sportswear
Community Clothing's Organic Athletic Uses Natural Materials
Waste Tarp-Made Public Seating
The Membran Collective Joins the Urban Networks Project
Intuitive Countertop Composters
The Vego Kitchen Composter Enhances Home Gardening
Urban Waste-Made Furniture
Javier Guzmán Cervantes and Ex Soup Join on an Exhibition
Upcycled Plastic Construction Companies
'Kubik' Uses Plastic Waste as a Sustainable Material
Ocean-Friendly Upholstery Textiles
The 'Sport' Textiles Are Crafted From Shoreline-Sourced Plastic
Electronic Packaging-Made Stools
Razeen Mohammed Designs the Portable EDGAR Stool
Microplastic Particle-Transformed Designs
The Tyre Collective Creates Products from Particles
Upcycled Plastic Furniture Series
Kasper Kyster Presents the Crafting Plastic Series
Playful Eco-Friendly Tech Accessories
The Samsung Eco-Friends Collection Has 55 Products
City-Wide Single-Use Plastic Bans
Hong Kong is Banning Single-Use Plastic Items
Fully Recyclable Knitwear
&OR Collective's Collection 01 Was Manufactured to Minimize Waste
Kid-Friendly Customizable Bags
Pop ‘n’ Swop Bags Can Be Decorated with Badges, Handles & More
Green Produce-Preserving Containers
Rubbermaid's 'FreshWorks® Produce Saver' Keeps Produce Fresh
Compostable Cold Beverage Cups
The Plastic-Free Cold Cups from Continental Cup are Eco-Focused
User-Friendly Kitchen Composters
Compost Genie is a Simple Solution for First-Time Composters
Rewarding Milk Packaging
Ocado's Milk Bottle Recycling Initiative Gives Rewards for Recycling
Shea Butter-Infused Lip Treatments
Kinfield's Lip Rescue Moisturizing Lip Treatment is Recyclable
Rescued Fruit Spirits
Trash & Treasure Spirits Get Flavor from Creatively Repurposed Ingredients
Eco-Conscious Juice Boxes
Simple Times Mixers Supports Curbside Recycling with its New Packaging
Reusable Cafe Packaging
SFU Reduces Waste with Tap to Reuse and Smart Return Bin Tech
Adorable Public Rubbish Bins
SWNA Created a Set of Rubbish Bins for Design Seoul 2.0
Waste Reduction Campaigns
Rhyme & Reason's #NoNewPlastic Encourages Small Daily Actions
Food-Grade rPET Packaging
These Novolex Recyclable Food Containers Have 10% Recycled Plastic
Junkyard-Inspired Art Projects
ÉCAL and Philippe Malouin Unveil the Junkyard Diving Project
Artwork-Adorned Reusable Bags
This Giant Food Reusable Bag Campaign Supports Nonprofits
Food Waste-Combatting Smart Stickers
Grey Colombia Unveils a Set of Progressive Produce Stickers
Organic Plastic Furniture Series
Kasper Kyster Creates the Crafting Plastic Collection
Litter-Reducing Bitcoin Progams
Swedish City Malmö Introduces a Buttcoin ‘Crypto’ Program
Chance to win £10,000
Meet the Cornish upcycler inspiring people
Advanced Molecular-Recycling Bottles
Air up and Eastman Launch a Drinking Bottle with Tritan Renew
Gamified Plastic Bottle Journeys
Last Bottle Takes Users on an Informative After-Recycling Journey
Discarded Theater Screen Lamps
Haneul Kim Transforms Waste into Lighting Designs
Compostable Takeout Containers
Good Start Packaging Launches a New Range of Takeout Containers
Pet Product Takeback Services
PetSmart Unveils the New Sustainable Pet Product Takeback Programs
Leftover Sandwich Campaigns
The Hellmanns' 'Between 2 Slices' Campaign Tackles Food Waste
Cardboard Box-Transformed Furniture
Max Lamb Presents the Box Exhibition at Gallery Fumi
Paper Packaging Recycle Stations
Co-cre8 Debuts the New Paper Cup Collection and Recycling Service
Althlete-Inspired Ocean Plastic Bags
Sloane Stephens Launches a New Collaboration with GOT BAG
Compostable Foodservice Lines
The New Veridian™ Collection Targets Composter Contamination
Autumnally Scented Trash Bags
Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice Ultra Strong Trash Bags Keep Homes Fresh
Provocative Eco Screensavers
Planet-Saving Screen Savers Encourage Switching Off Devices
Artful Seaweed-Inspired Bin Magnets
Alixe Ronchi Designs the Magnetic Edition of Vipp's Bins