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5 Greenest materials to make storage containers

Cardboard box as storage devices

Recycling is a green process which utilizes abandoned, unused materials and products and transforms them into usable forms. Another similar process called repurposing is simply making cosmetic changes to items and re-using them further. These processes thus economize on resources and considerably reduce wastage. Such ecofriendly alternatives are an ever growing trend and not only individuals but organizations are turning the green way.

Readily available materials are collected, remodeled and transformed into chic furniture, routine items and even houses. Some innovative ideas that make use of worn out, redundant or easily available natural materials and convert them into storage containers for homes and offices include:

1. Earthenware

One of the most popular and ancient method of making containers finds its roots to some of the earliest civilizations that inhabited our planet. Clay vessels have been extravagantly used since time immemorial for making vessels and containers. Clay available in the market is a natural product and being ductile can be turned into any shape and size according to the purpose. Pots made of clay are often used to keep water cool and thus reduce the need of refrigerators. Other such molded options are plates, cookware and multi-purpose bins etc.

2. Recycled materials

Cardboard, plastic or other such materials which come as packing material or lay idle in our houses, can be fixed together using tapes, hand painted with naive customized designs, labeled and be used for storage purposes. One can use such boxes for storing books as bookcases, sewing materials, seasonal clothes and jewellery, or even toy’s and other accessories that are occasionally used.

3. Glass

Glass jars that become redundant can be flexibly cleaned with alcohol and painted or decorated with felt pens and glaze papers to serve as pen stands, paint stands, flower pots or even in bathrooms to store luffas, cotton swabs, scrubs, and other such toiletries.

4. Wood

One of the most readily available natural product wood in the form of branches, logs and dry leaves can be weaved together to make stunning containers or storage bins. Elementary carpentry knowledge and an artistic bent of mind can create wonders to idle pieces of wood. Since yore, man has used wood from tree as a major component in making long lasting and light bowls and baskets for dry use. Another commercial use of recycled wood is the shipping pallets that is now being professional remodeled into furniture, barn houses, books cases and storage bins for home and office use.

5. Fabrics

Old, worn out fabrics can be sewed together to make sturdy yet flexible containers for books, kitchen items, hand tools, grocery or for that matter anything. Bags and storage bins made from recycled fabrics are thus very versatile and can be used vividly. Alluring handbags can also be made by sewing fabrics and attaching a handle to the bag. Not only these ideas are ecofriendly but they are a proud possession of the owner being self made.

World over organizations are taking the onus of using greener options in manufacturing products that can be used for multiple purpose such as kitchen ware and storage bins. Recycline, a firm based out of the U.S utilizes 100% recycled plastics and papers to make kitchen wares. Their unique line of production namely “Preserve Kitchen” has become very popular since they are not only green but safe as well. Once they live their life they can easily be recycled. These products come in appealing and happy colors to adorn one’s kitchen. Designers Gerard Dumora and Jaqueline Lauth of Pacific Art Design have launched another ecofriendly container made from the abandoned cardboard and steel galvanized tub, known as the Trendy Tub collection. Such barrels are bought from salvage firms and transformed into lively and colorful containers to store anything. The cardboard boxes are painted or pasted with alluring fabrics and fixed with galvanized steel lids which were earlier hard to recycle and required heavy machinery and processes. This collection now accounts for a major chunk of recycled containers that are quite popular in France.

Trendy Tub Collection

Alternatives are limitless when we want to reuse our resources and mold them into better options for everyday use. Small things like reusing plastic water bottles, cardboard boxes, wood and paper and refurbishing them with some amount of creativity can yield stunning results. Humble changes to our lifestyle and “out of the box” thinking can help conserve our diminishing resources in an effective way, however, for this not only individuals but organizations also have to take initiatives so that we can leave a fuller and greener earth for our future generations.

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