An Indonesian nonprofit is turning glass waste into beautiful houseware, according to Designwanted.
Bali-based Sungai Design recently partnered with Kevala Ceramics to fashion a line of elegant carafes from waste glass.
Sungai recovers plastic waste from its rivers and compresses it into panels for use in furniture and household items. For this project, it captured glass waste and processed it with luxury ceramic manufacturer Kevala.
Sungai collects roughly 58,000 pounds of glass annually throughout its cleanups, but hasn't been able to put it to use without Kevala's help.
"In this age of design, we have to see the materials that already exist as the primary choice for when we're designing new products," said Kevala designer Sara Howard. "It's our responsibility now in designing in the 21st century to use what's already here and excavate it."
Others have taken to this line of thinking and recycled glass to make construction bricks and wine bottles, for example.
Glass is much more reusable than plastic, but about two-thirds of glass waste still ends up in landfills. This can pose a challenge both for safety and for landfill capacity.
There needs to be municipal support for recycling facilities, which can be challenging in remote island communities. Knowing your recycling options can help ensure whatever glass you use finds a positive second life.
Demand for Sungai's carafes has been high, with the first batch of 50 selling out in five days, a second having recently hit store shelves, and a third on the way for December 2025. The carafes retail for about $70. The reaction to the carafe on Instagram has been wildly positive.
"I want one of those jars! LOVE IT!" said one community member.
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"This is amazing! Definitely will look into buying these products and supporting this project," replied another.
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