The coronavirus lock down is giving us all time for thought and I've been thinking increasingly about sustainability. As a blogger I could be accused of encouraging rampant consumerism. My defence (if any) would be that I focus on locally made products and on quality. The better made something is the longer it will last and locally made products cut down on environmentally costly transport.
An alternative is recycling, or upcycling as it seems to be called now. I recently came across Laura Zabo (link below) when my attention was drawn to her products made from bicycle tyres. When I contacted Laura she kindly offered to send me one of her belts. She makes them herself from tyres, cutting and painting them in a huge variety of colours and styles.
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| Laura Zabo and bicycle tyres, the raw material of her products |
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| I wear a Laura Zabo belt |
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| Made from and upcycled tyre, the belt is flexible and soft |
At first glance you'd mistake them for leather, but on closer inspection the tyre tread, a faint rubbery smell and the back of the belt give away the material. The rubber is soft and pliable and a wonderfully different product is the result of this Laura's upcycling skills. Ironically Laura has recently taken to cycling and is enjoying her time on the bike - I hope she doesn't get too many punctures!
Laura also makes statement jewellery so her products are for both men and women. I asked Laura to tell me about her products and brand:
GF: Please introduce yourself and your brand.
LZ: I am an upcycler, traveller, urban hippie. I was born in Hungary however I know from my childhood that I am an earth citizen, who feels home everywhere and wants explore the world. Laura Zabo the brand was born during my Tanzanian journey, where I first found some brightly painted flip flops made out of car tyres.
I realised that I could create chic upcycled statement accessories from scrap tyres and inner tubes and since 2013 I craft unique jewellery, belts , clothing, even sandals and develop my micro business. I see myself as an innovator, artist, environmentalist and entrepreneur.
GF: How did you come to start up this business?
LZ: I love nature almost more than anything else, and I have always been very disappointed when I found garbage on streets, suburban or nature. People many times throw away tyres to save money on recycling or just because they don't care and I have been very very sensitive about this type of waste.
When I found those sandals in Africa, I just had the feeling that I have to start to develop this idea and change the future of scrap tyres. This is an amazing free source which we can reuse in many different way instead of producing plastic, leather, fake leather and any other low quality materials.
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| Laura shows some of her upcycled cycle tyre products |
GF: What products do you sell and where do you find the materials for them?
LZ: I usually just visit the local bike stores and ask them for bike tyres and inner tubes. They are always happy to save them for me. Currently I create belts and statement jewellery, and I also have a car tyre sandals collection. Previously I made dog accessories, guitar straps, handbags, even some clothing. I would like to prove that up cycling is chic, and eco-consciousness is sexy.
GF: Why bike tyres?
LZ: I like it because it's very different. I really hope that my work is also inspirational. I think it might help people to look differently on waste and how we choose between handmade or high street products.
GF: Where do you see the business going next?
LZ: I definitely would like to sell a bit more and highlight tyre up/recycling but I also want to protect my freedom and don't become a factory. I would prefer to share my techniques and teach people to upcycle and reuse as many things as possible instead of throwing away.
I think using and challenging our own creativity means much more than most things that we buy in our daily life. I think if people would spend more time with sport or art, this world would be a much better place.
See Laura Zabo for her range of upcycled products (belts cost from £29). Follow her on Instagram here.
The belt was gifted - this feature is unsponsored.
