Our glass beads harbour the power of economising our empties (disregarded glass) and turning it into sustainable employment across Africa! *adds to cart immediately*
Glass beads are not only a testament to Africas' resourcefulness and creativity but also play a major role in its history and culture. The earliest of African beads were uncovered during archaeological excavations near Mapungubwe in South Africa and are dated back to 970-1000 CE. During these ancient times, beads were pushed from organic materials - like bones, seeds and shells. These traditional organic beads were representational of the wearer’s age, wealth, marital status and tribal identity.
In the 16th century, traders from America, Europe and India would trade salt, glass, rum and other goods for African beads. This traded influence allowed Africa to meltdown new materials to manufacture their own unique worldly creations - later making African glass beads a sought-out collector's item in Europe and a remarkably valued traded commodity across Africa.
Fast forward to today, this ancestral technique plays a substantial role in uncovering employment stability in the recycling sector. A modern glass bottle would take around 4000 years or more years to decompose and it is reported that almost 15.2 million tonnes of glass go to waste in Europe alone. As problematic as that sounds, glass beads are a creative way of giving disregarded glass bottles a second chance while also adding a responsible statement to your home!
HOW ARE GLASS BEADS CREATED?
1. It is a labour-intensive process that starts with GLASS COLLECTION:
In this process, an array of different glass is collected from landfills or recycling workshops. Glass is then cleaned by removing all labels and residue and only once the glass is thoroughly cleaned and dried will then the artisan only start to crush the glass into a finely-milled powder.
2. The next step is the MAKING OF THE BEADS:
Once the powder is ready it is put in a handmade clay mould. Each mould has been carefully prepared to represent the artisan's desired structure. The glass powder and the mould are then heated up to 700 degrees for 20-35 minutes in a wood-fired kiln! Once the glass starts to bubble and fuse, the artisan will remove the mould and use a tool to create a hole where string can be passed through.
Finally, the glass is then cooled, polished with sand and then washed so that the true colour is revealed.
HOW TO STYLE GLASS BEADS IN YOUR HOME:
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IN A DECORATIVE BOWL
Elevate your home by placing the glass beads in an ornamental bowl - I would suggest a handmade ceramic or a wooden-textured bowl for glass beads and glass bowls for wooden beads, this way the beads will contrast in all the right places and the conversation won't end at the beads when you have guests over!
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MAKE YOUR BOOKS MORE INTRIGUING
Whether it is on your bedside table, coffee table or on the shelf. These beads will add personality, texture and softness to your straight, hard-edged books. Simply laze the beads on top and allow them to melt in any direction they fall.
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A LAMPSHADE REMINDER
If you are like me and you like to be subtly reminded of a happy memory or that you are a socially responsible babe then try dressing up your lamp shape by draping the beads around the base of the lampshade. This way you get that reminder every time you jump in and out of bed!
