Recycling Market artisans

The history of waste for this couple of industrial designers began more than 16 years ago when they started to walk around Bogotá collecting materials that captivated their attention by their texture, color, size, or appearance, especially post-industrial waste. 

Tires, banners, and tents were, and still are, residues that few include in recovery processes. In reality, for the most part, they end up buried in landfills. However, these raw materials revealed a fresh start after a thoughtful transformation process by this couple. "We take care of waste nobody wants and has no value in the market," says Ximena, "and we do everything through simple techniques since design has the power of transformation. We invite you to discover what lies behind". 

Cappaz handmade shoes use 50% recycled PET and the remaining 50% incorporate garment straps. In addition, the sole manufacturing process does not involve any environmentally harmful chemical processes. It is a natural rubber mixed with rice husk, allowing a more straightforward decomposition. On top of that, using the husk avoids the toxic burning of rice by-products that usually end up discarded. 

 Moreover, Cappaz shoes go beyond an eco-production reformulation. They have achieved a minimal ecological impact, but their activity transcends into constructive economic and social contexts. Each pair of shoes has a name inspired by the Amazon's greatness and biodiversity. Its ambitious mission: to save the Amazon at each and every step! How do they aspire to achieve it? 5% of its sales are donated to the Colombia Verde foundation, addressing deforestation of the “world's lungs”.  

At the entrepreneurship workshop hosted by Artesanías de Colombia for jewelers in Bogotá, Daniel and William discovered the potential of applying recycling to jewelry. It was a risky bet at that time when very few people spoke earnestly about the issue of recycling in Colombia. 

The countless hours of work testing materials, tools, and objects became a revelation when Daniel focused on the little rubber lid that had accumulated after removing them from the bottle caps. Immediately, he realized that this was the material he was looking for. It is perfectly malleable, and the dyeing process generates an astonishing perception of colors. He was convinced that his passion for jewelry could capture it uniquely: Chankuko was born.  

Juan Pablo's story as a sustainable fashion designer started in 2010, when, after closing his clothing store in Bogotá, an invitation to an Eco-chic Event in Geneva allowed him to meet a brand-new world in his career as a designer. The term "eco-fashion" was not widely used in the fashion world at that time. Still, he quickly identified its positive impact on his life and profession. He had found the hidden value of discarded natural materials in each creation. His main goal was set. He wanted to create a unique, lasting, and meaningful garment with all types of cloth scraps.

One of his favorite projects developed on the margins of the furious football environment. He honored clothes left aside by ​​giving them new life. His last collection was based on more than 9 million football shirts from the 2018 World Cup. 

 Estefanía, an industrial designer by profession, returned in 2019 to Medellín, intending to create her brand with her mother's support. Indeed, her mom is the best possible partner to undertake this path and improve the quality of the concept products by twisting aluminum rings and testing the material's endurance to develop an outstanding and upgraded product. 

The secret is simple: «Poptop's bags are unique. Each integral piece, made from waste, goes beyond its origins. People want to use them because the products are beautiful ». Poptop is much more than a standard business. They seek to generate a social and environmental impact in each process. 

To recover this cultural heritage and traditional values, Diana considered incorporating natural fibers into her artistic work: Hand-made jewelry. Her new research was then directed at the origin of sustainable mining, specifically silver and gold. Her mission represented an immense challenge in Colombia, where the difference between illegal and legal mining is not easily discernible. 

She came up with the idea of entering the world of chemistry. She discovered that throughout a complex process of metal purification, the silver used to reveal X-rays achieves a high-quality standard equal to the silver extracted by traditional ways of mining. Bingo! She can now guarantee the source of the metal used in her creations. She has a sustainable way and ecological procedure from end to end of the production process. The natural fiber and metals used now are complementary in a jewel. 

 Béatrice and Christophe have fallen in love with cardboard art. This charming couple transmits their motivation through their creativity in each work. Defenders of paper-maché usage and everything that could be made from cardboard, they transformed this noble material into objects filled with harmony and simplicity. This couple has demonstrated the infinite possibilities of manipulation cardboard could provide.