Canadian company turns millions of disposable chopsticks into stylish furniture and homewares
Inasmuch as
Design
#chopsticks #sustainability #upcycling #video #wood
Globally, we collectively consume a staggering number of chopsticks each year – 80 billion pairs to be exact – many of which end up in landfills and other waste sites. Since 2016, however, a Vancouver-based company has been recycling disposable utensils into a modern, minimalist line of furniture and homewares.
A new video from Business Intern go behind the scenes with ChopValue to chronicle the entire production process, which begins with collecting the free raw material from approximately 300 restaurants in the city of British Columbia. When brought back to the factory, the utensils are sorted, coated in a water-based resin and baked in a 200 degree oven for five hours to kill any germs. They are then broken down and loaded into a huge hydraulic machine that compresses the individual sticks into a composite board, which is finally sanded and shaped into countertops, tiles and dominoes, among a variety of other products. Since its inception, the company has saved nearly 33 million pairs of chopsticks from entering a landfill.
With three micro-factories in Canada and retailers across North America, ChopValue’s footprint is expanding and the company currently offers franchise opportunities. Shop for coasters, shelves and other items at the site, and follow product launches on Twitter and instagram. (Going through Kids should see this)
#chopsticks #sustainability #upcycling #video #wood
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a colossal member and support independent art publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers passionate about contemporary art, help support our series of interviews, access partner discounts and more. Join now!
