Sorting the Trash from the Treasure

Before our glass ever makes it into a furnace, it starts as crushed recycled glass from a local recycling facility. Every batch has to be cleaned and sifted by hand to remove everything that isn’t glass; and there’s a lot that isn’t glass.

Picking up crushed glass at the recycling facility.

Most of what we pull out is everyday plastic trash: spoons, forks, water bottle caps, and the occasional mystery item. But sometimes we uncover a few surprises: bracelets (so many bracelets), Invisalign, rings, springs, chap stick, wine corks, K’nex pieces, eyeglass lenses, fake nails, and even earrings.

A few of the “treasures” we’ve found mixed in with the glass.

All of it needs to be removed before the glass can be melted down. Some materials would burn away instantly, but metals are especially tricky. If they slip through, they can show up as shiny little “seeds” inside the finished glass. Working with recycled glass isn’t easy. It takes time, patience, and a lot of sorting. But in the end, it’s worth it because every pendant, sconce, and chandelier we make carries the story of something saved and transformed. ♻️✨

Clean, sorted glass ready to be transformed into lighting.