Mind-Blowing Art Pieces From Used Plastic Bags
Some ordinary people have found extraordinary ways to recycle plastic bags – making high end art from these used plastic bags to usable jewelery, raincoats and more. Saving the planet, one bag at a time.
Plastic Bags Recycling Facts
- Over one million plastic bags are consumed per minute. Which comes to about 1 trillion bags on earth each year
- According to The Wall Street Journal 100 billion plastic bags are used just in the U.S.
- An estimate $4 billion is spent by retailers on these bags
- An estimated 49,600,000 bags end up as litter each year
- Reminder – It takes 400 years for one bag to degrade naturally
If you are concerned about the growing plastic bag waste then you might like to read the article – Plastic Bags Banned Around the Globe to Save the Earth by BC Doan
Joshua Allen Harris makes ‘subway art‘ from trash grocery bags. It all started from one bear he made which caught people’s attention more than he ever expected. Air from subway tunnels magically breathes life into his inflatable subway art.
Anna Roebuck makes jewelry, lamp shades, bowls, gift pieces and art from plastic shopping bags. The bags and other materials are layered, collaged together to make intricate colorful designs. She has received several awards including the UK Gift of the Year Award for Fashion in the years 2002 and 2004. Her work can be viewed and bought on her website.
Israeli artist Inbal Limor uses plastic bags to create high end art. Though the frame on the left is abstract, I can easily picture it hung in a hotel balcony somewhere. The piece on the right uses the plastic bag fusing technique and a few stitches to create the beautiful flowers.
Some other folks are getting spiritual with the bags trash, converting them to funky mandalas. Virginia Fleck creates mandalas out of bits of bags that would otherwise reach the waste or recycle bins. You can read more about her projects on her website virginiafleck.com
Helle Jorgensen makes these wonderful plastic sea creatures, coral gardens, jewellery and various other pieces from reusing used materials like plastic bags. Some of her stuff can be bought on etsy.com. More pictures are on her website blog hellejorgensen.typepad.com
This raincoat came from plastic bags that were collected from various trash cans to make the material for the plastic bag raincoat. PenFelt is selling this durable raincoat at etsy.com. Its recycled, waterproof and comes with a Velcro fastening.
The website wow-imports.com has numerous animal figurines like a ladybug, rooster, snake and chicken all made from colourful plastic bags. The animals are priced between 3 to 30 US dollars.
This piece below gives birth to a new art idea. The artist was trying to make a plastic fabric and the print on the plastic bag he was using accidentally bleed into the paper, making it look like this -
More Random Plastic Bag Projects
If you want to learn the plastic bag fusing technique, plastic bag crochet and for more projects from plastic bag recycling read - Used Plastic Bags Art Projects for Dummies
Further readings
- An Old Toothbrush is Your Handiest New Tool
- Weekly Handy Tips Series: Reusing Cosmetics Before Trashing
- Reusing Broken Lipsticks to Make New Ones
- For a lot of other recycled art ideas visit Paula Mitchell Bentley’s page
- Plastic Bags Banned Around the Globe to Save the Earth by BC Doan
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28 Comments
BC Doan, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
What a wonderful way to recycle these plastic bags!
gabbic1219, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
that is amazizing… great ideas and so very true about how many bags we go throu..,nice article!
Paula Mitchell-Bentley, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
Great Article!
nobert soloria bermosa, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
very creative,this is great
Amberina, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
Reading this article makes me want to go out and make something out of plastic bags. I once read how to make plastic rugs out of bags. Very nice idea.
josh utley, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
now that’s a hell of a way to recycle. i like this article
Lauren Axelrod, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
Interesting topic
Rookie Expert, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
Thank you everyone for your comments. Somehow the links in the article do not seem to be working. Also the video has not been embedded. I have submitted a fix and it should be working in a day or so.
SeventhSibling, posted this comment on Oct 19th, 2008
Very colorful pictuers. I like the idea that something useful, like a raincoat, was made from plastic bags. I take used plastic bags to the recyle center, but have not moved toward taking my own cloth bag to the grocery store to eliminate plastic bags from my grocery shopping — I haven’t seen that practice embraced by the food chains with whom I shop. Very thought provoking article.
Anne Lyken-Garner, posted this comment on Oct 20th, 2008
This is such a cute article with great pictures.
Liane Schmidt, posted this comment on Oct 20th, 2008
Wonderful article with a very good intention!
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
CHAN LEE PENG, posted this comment on Oct 22nd, 2008
Wonderful work, Rookie, take care!
Amit G, posted this comment on Oct 24th, 2008
Awesome article! If only we could make people wear plastic bag clothing..
eddiego65, posted this comment on Oct 31st, 2008
Excellent article. Very creative ideas indeed.
Rocky, posted this comment on Nov 19th, 2008
If you want to see some more work by Joshua Allen Harris http://fractalenlightenment.blogspot.com/2008/08/inflatable-subway-art-of-joshua-harris.html
tom, posted this comment on Nov 20th, 2008
awesome work by Joshua! i can’t believe that someone found a way to artistically interact with the city through garbage bags! Last time I was similarly surprised was when I watched this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDXjnW3nIWg&feature=related
Armywriter, posted this comment on Jan 9th, 2009
That is crazy. I’ve never seen plastic bags used that way before. Fun article.
ALien_I, posted this comment on Jan 19th, 2009
Cool!!
Jaymie Mcmaymie, posted this comment on Jan 27th, 2009
I am severly lacking in creativity, these people prove it.
suresh, posted this comment on Feb 16th, 2009
great article. i wish i have such talent.
Street Smart, posted this comment on Apr 23rd, 2009
My daughter makes stuff out of fused plastic bags. Im sure she is going to love these new ideas. Smart people indeed!!
swatilohani, posted this comment on Jun 20th, 2009
great
malenalopez30, posted this comment on Jul 29th, 2009
This is such a great peace I love art and any thing that has to do with it!
richard wing, posted this comment on Jul 31st, 2009
Wow, that’s cool and a creative way to artfulize simple garbage. You recycle in a very unique and positive way displayed here. Very interesting piece for sure, and a new artform. Great piece!
Ron, posted this comment on Oct 13th, 2009
Hey! This is Ron from http://www.wow-imports.com and I wanted to thank you for sharing our amazing recycled plastic bag animals!
Rookie Expert, posted this comment on Oct 29th, 2009
Hey Ron,
Your plastic bag products were worth a mention. 
Valerie Curtiss, posted this comment on Oct 31st, 2009
Great article, any use for plastic bags is a good deal for mother earth
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ursula banteux, posted this comment on Oct 18th, 2008
I wish I was as creative as these people. Great, original article.