1,080 Ring Pulls Were Used to Make Each of These Da-Lata Placemats
Jen Chae — May 28, 2013 — Social Good
Da-Lata placemats are made of recycled pull tabs collected from the beaches in Brazil. Thousands of empty soda cans are thrown into the sand and Da-Lata saves them from the landfill by making something new out of them. The placemats use a crochet technique to bind 1,080 pull tabs together using colored threading. Because it is made of aluminum, it is very lightweight.
The placemats are crafted by Brazilian women who clean and flatten the ring tabs before linking them. The cans are collected from beaches and bars, by groups of catadores (Brazilian waste pickers) who are legally acknowledged to pick and sell waste for a living.
Da-Lata takes something that was discarded and transforms it into a stylish kitchen piece, while encouraging social and ecological sustainability. A pack of four costs roughly $300 USD.
The placemats are crafted by Brazilian women who clean and flatten the ring tabs before linking them. The cans are collected from beaches and bars, by groups of catadores (Brazilian waste pickers) who are legally acknowledged to pick and sell waste for a living.
Da-Lata takes something that was discarded and transforms it into a stylish kitchen piece, while encouraging social and ecological sustainability. A pack of four costs roughly $300 USD.
Trend Themes
1. Recycled Materials - Opportunity for businesses to innovate by using recycled materials to create new products.
2. Sustainable Fashion - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the fashion industry by creating stylish products using sustainable materials.
3. Socially Responsible Manufacturing - Potential for companies to make a positive impact by employing marginalized communities and supporting their livelihood.
Industry Implications
1. Textile and Home Decor - Opportunity for businesses to create innovative products in the textile and home decor industry using recycled materials.
2. Eco-friendly Fashion - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the fashion industry by creating eco-friendly and sustainable fashion products.
3. Social Enterprise - Potential for companies to establish social enterprises that empower marginalized communities and promote sustainable practices.
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