Joburg-based creatives Deji Dada and Matthew Edwards have collaborated on a sustainable design initiative, the ‘Waste-to-Wear’ project. Now gaining international traction, this initiative backed by Heineken South Africa is significant for making a dent in the landscape of glass recycling and sustainable design.
Their brief, in light of Heineken’s 2023 campaign for their new returnable 650ml bottle, was to utilise Heineken’s localised waste stream to create homeware and accessories from discarded bottles. Heineken South Africa identified a pressing issue with non-returnable beer bottles being broken and abandoned in fields, particularly in low-income communities. These discarded bottles created unsafe and inaccessible spaces for residents. To address this, Heineken SA launched a campaign to clean up these broken glass ‘hotspots’, transforming them into green zones under the tagline ‘Fields green with grass, not glass.’
Due to the limited access to smaller-scale glass recycling facilities in South Africa, Dada and Edwards collaborated with Ngwenya Glass, a renowned factory near Mbabane in Eswatini. This partnership was pivotal, combining Ngwenya’s expertise in artisanal glass products with innovative design concepts to create items Ngwenya Glass had never produced before (such as the pendant light).
The collection includes 3000 rings and 3000 medallions for Heineken South Africa employees, as well as a smaller range of homeware items, including vases, dinner sets, and a hops-inspired pendant light. Each product is handmade, highlighting the unique quality of glassmaking where every piece is a one-of-a-kind creation.
Through the Waste-to-Wear project, Dada and Edwards have successfully recycled close to 800kgs of glass. This initiative not only addresses environmental issues but also showcases the potential of sustainable design. By creating meaningful and beautiful products, Waste-to-Wear aims to raise awareness for glass recycling and inspire further innovation in sustainable practices.
As previously mentioned, the project’s success has been recognised internationally, winning Bronze at the New York Festivals Advertising Awards 2024. This showcases local design taking a global stage with a socially responsible and sustainable core.
More details about this award can be found here.
Press release courtesy of Deji Dada
For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za
