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New European Bauhaus
Project

re_cycling air tubes

Crafting our future with trash - when recycling is not possible, reuse emerges.

re_cycling air tubes
re_cycling air tubes
© European Union, 2021

Crafting our future with trash - when recycling is not possible, reuse emerges.

That is precisely the motivation behind re_cycling air tubes, a Weimar, Germany-based project that creates goods from repurposed bicycles. 

The idea is one of the hundreds submitted for the 2021 #NewEuropeanBauhaus rising star prizes in the category "Techniques, materials, and processes for construction and design."

The community-based effort transforms unwanted objects and materials in the community into meaningful experiences. 
Bicycle tubes can be utilised in various ways and for a range of purposes.

The woven product can be used for several purposes, including furniture (chairs, hammocks, curtains, etc.), decoration (as artworks), "playgrounds" as restorative material - for both children and adults, and so forth.

For the designers of re_cycling, innovation should be synonymous with a renovation rather than manufacture.

Because most bicycle stores discard punctured tubes, the material is inexpensive and occasionally free.

According to the designers, the weaving method is beneficial for the crafters engaged since it offers a beautiful meditative experience that is inclusive and sustainable.

This eco-friendly project produces long-lasting and easily repairable items.

Although they appear to be made of leather or a high-tech material, their feel is distinct and unique. 

re_cycling air tubes is about connecting global challenges with local solutions to meet global climate targets and support a broader transformation vision.

The joy of fixing an old treasured product using an innovative and creative process based on what we can find around us profoundly transforms everyone's life and the environment.

📸 © European Union