The video's just a minute long, but if you need to visit it later: the family collects wasted plastic, breaks it down, and extrudes it (pushes it into a thin spaghetti like line) that the children wind into basket shapes. This is a similar process to the 3D doodlers you may have seen as craft toys to build little sculptures.
If you want to support these kids in their awesome upcycling, bookmark their website. It looks like they are still working on getting their baskets up for sale. Still, kudos for exploring the technology and coming up with several basket designs!
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Using a bit of a different method, the Rothy's shoe uses 3-D knitting. A while back a few different people pointed me to this shoe:
What's cool about this shoe and the process is, these are made out of recycled water bottles, which are broken down into super fine threads, then machine knit into a variety of patterns. At $125, these are a splurge for ballet flats, but I'm super intrigued by the upcycling, the technology, and the promise that they are "soft like a sock". Who knew water bottles could be made soft? I may just need to take the plunge and try these as my spring flats.
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From the more crafty to the more high-tech, melting down and reforming plastics into new objects could be a win. I can't wait to see other methods and technologies like this emerge.
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