The notion of reduce, reuse, recycle has been ingrained on an entire generation of kids here in America. But, despite knowing that we all need to change our habits, waste products continue to amass in dumps all over the world. In Morocco, a group of environmentalists, aided by a French fair trade group, have taken to reusing rubber waste to turn into home furnishings and other products. “If not smelling the items and recognizing the specific smell of rubber,” claims Icce, the name of the French group, “nobody guesses what it is and even then, no-one imagines where it comes from!” The project, known as “Contrast City,” demonstrates what a group of dedicated craftspeople can do to turn waste into something useful. Check out some process shots and the finished products after the jump. Do you think something like this could work in America?
Pizzorno sweeper collecting the rubber waste with the blessing of the municipality
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE [via Design Boom]
First sketching with combination of materials and product ideas
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
Experiments with traditional weaver
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
First range of the products: interior textiles
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
Details of the textiles
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
The peculiar contrast of textures
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
Production of the second batch of products starts with traditional basic woodworking
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
Finished with an adaptation of traditional weaving
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
Second batch of products features home furnishings
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE
Up close details of the weaving
Photo Credit: Sandrine DOLE