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Buttonology with Ten Green Bottles (26.01.12)
Ten Green Bottles Managing Director, Lorraine Powers talks about how buttons are made from recycled glass for the new Friends of the Earth online shop due to open soon:
"For all the Bombay Sapphire drinkers out there, let me say a big thank you. You may not be aware of it but you are providing a valuable resource to those who recycle waste into useable goodies.
At Ten Green Bottles we take waste, empty bottles and with a little water and imagination (and some really expensive machinery) – we produce affordable, everyday items such as buttons made from Bombay Sapphire bottles. Here’s how;
- Empty bottles are washed thoroughly and all labelling removed ( no machinery here just good old fashioned elbow grease). Once the bottles are clean they need to be cut with a diamond saw, (a saw blade tipped with industrial diamonds – no bling!). This should then yield four strips of glass to work with, two with the herb design and two plain.
- Using a template the buttons are then marked our and cut by hand using standard glass cutting tools.
- The buttons are then ground and shaped on a bevelling machine, again using diamond grinding pads. Once shaped and smooth they are finished and edged.
- The next stage drills two 3mm holes into the button using a diamond drill.
- The buttons are then washed and dried and baked in a kiln for a day or so. Once cooled the button is now ready to go on sale at Friends of the Earth – ‘make do and mend’ section.
And don’t they look fab!"
