Creative with waste

Just tidied up my book shelves and found some Pentagram Papers that I was sent when I worked as a homes ed on a magazine. Design company Pentagram has been publishing curious and creative projects in these neat black books since 1975. My favourite of the few I have, is No 32 No Waste.

The focus of the book is upcycling in Cuba, a necessary trend that stemmed from the 90’s when the country entered economic crisis – a time that’s apparently known to locals as the Special Period. Now that we’re experiencing our own Special Period, the images of cobbled-together designs made out of household items chimed. Here are some home made toys using shampoo, ink and glue containers…

some party horns made from drinks cans…

and, my favourite, a taxi sign made from a plastic bottle…

Kind of humbling to see such an honest take on recycling.

The project is by Laboratorio de Creacion Maldeojo, a creative cooperative based in Havana.

2 Responses to “Creative with waste”

  1. helene
    March 29, 2012 at 10:17 am #

    All wonderfully Blue Peter and great to see. Love those party horns. I once had my own item of recycling from Havana. A cigar box big enough for all my coloured pencils. Wonder what happened to it….

  2. myfriendshouse
    March 29, 2012 at 11:11 am #

    Could it be in S E London or Japan?

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