During a recent trip to Amsterdam, we stopped in at Droog and I was very happy to see these Jar Tops available for purchase. I came across them online a couple of weeks ago and got to thinking that they would be a great asset to my classroom -promoting independence, fine motor skills and creativity. Reusing glass jars has always been a part of my practice, but these tops will allow for the jars in my collection to become more than just paint brush stands and pencil holders. I should have bought two sets!

Jar Tops by Jorre van Ast
“These functional screw caps fit on jars all over the world. Now you can re-use and preserve that memorable mustard jar from Dijon, France or that pickle Jar from Poland. Build your own personal collection.”

“You should know this new type of flower pot HONBACHI released by a design company Tokyo Pistol. HONBACHI means “book pot”, and as its name suggests, HONBACHI is reproduced books as flower pots, reusing old to-be-trushed books, that are deteriorated after years. We introduce here HONBACHI and how one of the major paper material, books, are recycled and reproduced as new products that will add spice to your life.”

via SHIFT

FREITAG Limited Art Edition 2009

The Contemporary Art of Art Recycling: “Normally we cut up trucks. For this collection we cut up art. The furiously Limited Art Edition of FREITAG bags is made from banners of the world’s most sizzling Contemporary Art Museums. Click on the museum’s name to find out when the series launches in the FREITAG online shop.”

via visual culture

“Urban Source has been Vancouver’s number one choice for alternative art materials for over 15 years. We collect from over 100 different local industries, diverting safe, useable off-cuts, discards, misprints and over-stock from the land fill. Materials are then sorted, organized and prepared for the store. Most importantly, we come up with a variety of innovative uses for everything we collect.

Artists, designers, teachers, students, daycare workers and families rely on us for providing one of a kind art materials. Local industries are happy to have us haul away their unwanted goodies thereby reducing their disposal costs.”

Every city needs one!