Women turn plastic waste into creative items

A duck-shaped flower pot holder made from a recycled detergent bottle.

MUAR: A group of women here are giving used detergent bottles new life by turning them into flower pots and other decorative items.

The colourful used plastic bottles were washed, scrubbed and dried before crafted to look like elephants, swans, ducks, frogs and rabbits.

Po Chiak Keng Tan Clan Ancestral Hall women’s division deputy head Jenny Chua said the recycled craft project started in August, as they wanted to do something meaningful while catching up.

“A group of us took a trip to Batu Pahat just to learn from my friend, who is a craft teacher and we returned to teach our fellow members by organising weekly classes at our association office in Tanjung Agas here.

“Other than flower pots, the bottles can be turned into cute and functional decorations to keep remote controls, pens and also snacks to add a bit of cheer to your home interior, ” she said in an interview.

Chua said the challenge was in sawing the bottles into half before using a plastic welder to carve the desired shapes like ears, wings and beaks, as the plastic material was quite thick.

She added that the bottles also needed to be soaked in water to remove the labels.

They would then complete the crafts by drawing on the nostrils, lines for the elephant trunk as well as adding decorations such as eyes, flowers and leaves made from felt.

“It took some time for us to get used to the equipment and tools and some of us scalded ourselves in the process.

“After a few tries, we got the hang of it and the process became much smoother and enjoyable as we can design the craft accordingly.

“More members and the public have since joined our weekly meet-ups, ” she said, adding that it would take a beginner at least three hours to complete an item.

Chua worked with two Buddhist non-governmental organisations to obtain the discarded bottles for the project as a way to raise awareness of recycling.

She said the project was a good way for women, especially housewives, to let their creative juices flow rather than stay at home and idle their time away.

“The items can even be sold to earn some side income, but most of us do it just for fun.

“Our goal is to turn waste into something useful and not let the bottles become rubbish, which will contribute to environmental problems.

“We hope that more people can join us or start making their own functional decorations from recycled products, ” she said.

The association is located at No 83,1st floor, Jalan Rivera 1, Taman Rivera, Tanjung Agas, Muar.

For details, call 012-621 2018.