'Wizard' of recycled items

From discarded things…

From the first time I saw the recycled items of Ms. Giang (currently living in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa ), I was fascinated and secretly admired her talented hands when making those lovely items. What is special is that the materials to create handmade products all come from discarded items, expired items, broken items or extremely simple items in life. All can be transformed into extremely beautiful, useful products and more importantly, contribute to making life greener.

- Ảnh 1. — Colorful dolls of Vietnamese ethnic groups made from recycled materials were painstakingly created by Ms. Giang.

Giang and I had the chance to meet in a recycling community group. We both have a passion for recycling items from discarded items, waste, plastic items, etc. She lives in Nha Trang, and I live in Hanoi . Although we don’t meet often, we always discuss recycling products as a way to contribute to making life greener. Occasionally, there are recycling fairs, and if we can arrange our work, we always try to meet and share new items.

Ms. Giang started working with recycled items before me and her skills really make me admire her, so I often jokingly call her the "witch" of recycled items. Every month, she still regularly produces recycled items that surprise me from the raw materials to the final product. It is truly like a magical transformation of seemingly discarded items into beautiful and sophisticated decorative items.

Ms. Giang's recycled products are quite diverse and rich, such as handbags, souvenirs, decorative items, etc. All are made from discarded items, becoming colorful and unique daily life items that are loved by everyone.

Sharing about this, she said: "To make recycled items, I often use plastic from bottles, water barrels, paint cans, paper, areca spathe, tree branches, dried fruits, shells, leftover fabric...". In general, things that many people think are trash are the perfect materials for Ms. Giang to "transform" into many cute and lovely items.

- Ảnh 2. — Ms. Giang - the "witch" of recycled materials

…to environmental protection awareness

We often exchange and share memories of recycling, participating in workshops on environmental protection or how to create new items from everyday waste. A few months ago, a friend gave her a box of high-quality plastic bottles. Not knowing what to do with those bottles, Giang watched the animated film Epic, and she came up with the idea of turning those plastic bottles into... dolls! She excitedly shared with me about the newly completed dolls made from materials such as the aforementioned plastic bottles, plus plastic eggshells, paper, scraps of fabric, wool... Through the hands of "witch" Giang, the dolls are very lovely and cute. She said she would use them as gifts for friends or their children on special occasions.

In addition, I was also impressed by Ms. Giang's areca spathe chandelier, which looks like a work of art from a talented artist. Areca spathe is a familiar material to us, used by our grandparents in daily life to make fans, back scratchers, baskets, etc. The longer they are used, the harder, more durable, lighter they become, and even better, they are not susceptible to termites. With these characteristics, Ms. Giang created a chandelier, inspired by a TV show about tuna. The areca spathe chandelier is cone-shaped, decorated with sea snail shells, mother-of-pearl garden vines, etc. It is a gift she gave to a friend in Khanh Hoa.

Not only that, I feel that Ms. Giang's love for recycled materials is even greater when she tries to spread the reuse of plastic waste and discarded items to those around her. Her son, Gia Huy, is also extremely interested and excited about making recycled items. Together with his mother, he creates beautiful objects such as Christmas trees from wine bottles, old balls, plastic flowers and leaves, coconut strings, dried lotus buds, paints, etc. This helps him to be more aware of protecting the environment, maintaining a green life, and practicing a green lifestyle with his friends at school from recycled items.

- Ảnh 3. — She spreads the love of recycling to young members.

- Ảnh 4. — The chandelier from areca spathe was recently made by her.

In addition, Ms. Giang also actively participates in many environmental protection activities from used goods, which are highly appreciated by many people. "I often participate in events of Khanh Hoa Ethnological Museum with a recycled goods booth," she said and shared more: "At the end of May 2024, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City organized the Green Living Festival, she also contributed a few recycled handicrafts at a small and pretty booth. Here, visitors can see with their own eyes and touch dolls and souvenirs recycled from plastic eggshells, paper, fabric, wool, snail shells, seashells, foam..., after being colored and glued, they look very bright and eye-catching. It is a pleasure to contribute a small part today for a green, healthy and happy future."

Ms. Giang is an inspiration to me and I have learned a lot from the "recycling wizard". I hope that one day there will be a recycling event in Hanoi so we can meet. Surely then there will be a lot to tell each other.

- Ảnh 5. — Ms. Giang's recycled goods display booth at a green living event

Currently, Ms. Giang is still enthusiastically creating useful items every day from plastic waste and discarded broken items, which through her "magic hands" become items that surprise and amaze everyone. She is a shining example of green living and environmental protection in the face of the waste pollution we are facing today.