Bottle of Sunshine... or Artficial Light.

Sofia Montero is a Chilean product designer that is making her stamp on the sustainable world of design. She makes the most wonderful pieces, whether they are lamps or furniture, from re-purposed PET plastic bottles. Not only are these products shaped into such a pleasant form, but they also embrace the whimsy of having a light fixture made from everyday plastic bottles. Since these bottles are not recyclable, re-purposing them has truly become its own work of art. Artists and designers everywhere have begun to use PET plastic bottles as a new medium. There have been things designed from houses to cars to purses to chairs and even to clothing. Regardless of the application, the re-purposing of the PET plastic has helped cut down on the amount of contamination of plastic into our environment.

Stemming from an intense study of the harmful elements of certain plastics during her Masters thesis, Montero was determined to change the way of plastic. Through her design she hopes to show the beauty of the re-purposement  of the plastic as well as the resiliency of the material. This design urges one not to use just plastic as an aesthetic, but en-recyclable and non-biodegradable PET plastic that is harmful to the environment and using in a completely new way. Lets face it, this stuff is not going anywhere so we better put it to good use! Whether it be a strong support for a coffee table or an interesting light fixture, Montero has truly created beautiful products out of an environmental foe. PET plastics are one of the most harmful of all plastics created for the environment. Due to the state that the world is currently in, it is refreshing to see someone embrace the fact that this material is not going away and start putting it to GOOD use instead of wasteful use. Next time you finish a 2 liter of soda, I challenge you to keep that bottle and create something out of it. Cut off the top and you have a re-purposed planter.... use the top in another sustainable project. Be creative, but most of all, save the world.