The idea of ​​tranSglass is to use what you have. The range of recycled bottles was developed using relatively simple machines and tools available in the workshop. Everyone took an empty bottle and made something different out of it. Someone put a candle in the neck of the bottle and it was a candlestick. Another filled the bottle with flowers and it became a vase. A diagonally cut Soave bottle became a jug, two Chardonnay bottles became a carafe. Sicilian table wine turned into a vase for orchids and the bottoms of beer bottles formed a group of drinking glasses.

The first pieces for tranSglass were designed in 1997 and originally produced by Tord Boontje and Emma Woffenden in their London studio. Since 2005, tranSglass has been manufactured in Guatemala City in a newly created workshop where young people learn the skills of glassmaking and many of them have become experts in cutting and polishing.

tranSglass is one of Artecnica’s “Design with Conscience” projects and part of the permanent collection of MoMA New York.

Attention: Glass made from recycled bottles. Dimensions may vary as these are handmade items. The glass surface may have small unevenness as these are used bottles. Wipe with a damp cloth or use warm water and dish soap. Not dishwasher safe.

The pieces offered here are exhibition and stock items. For some products the packaging is missing or damaged. That’s why we offer all pieces at a discount. The products themselves are in perfect condition. Please rely on the product title for color and finish. Not all pictures match the description.

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Artecnica is a Los Angeles-based design company that collaborates with the most established and emerging international designers to create inspiring decorative objects for the home environment. Artecnica is committed to considering issues of environmental sustainability and responsible manufacturing. Products are often made from recycled materials and transported in easy-to-ship flat packaging to reduce the carbon footprint.

Founded in 2002 by Artecnica, “Design with Conscience” is a program for the design and manufacture of products in accordance with humanitarian and environmentally conscious principles. It works with artisan communities in developing countries to produce unique handcrafted objects that reflect indigenous skills. This humanitarian approach supports shared work and profit across borders, cultures, races and religions. Design acts as a catalyst for change here and offers the opportunity to transform the global landscape.

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Dutch designer Tord Boontje is known for his expression of romance in contemporary design. With a keen interest in stories, nature, decoration, materials and technology, his work has an experimental approach. The results vary from ornate, whimsical to minimalist, from handmade to robot-made. His extremely creative and productive studio reacts to trends and implements them. Interest in social issues led to collaboration with artisans in developing countries in Guatemala, Senegal, Rio de Janeiro and Colombia. His studio realized, among other things, lighting, graphic identity, textiles, ceramics, site-specific installations and furniture for various international companies. Some works can be found in major museum collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the MoMA in New York.