Hot Knots

Aim

This upcycling project transforms discarded waste plastics into handmade affordable household items through crochet, macrame and weaving.

Introducing Hot Knots!

I began combining plastic bags and textiles during my foundation diploma in art and design, where I found the emphasis on fabric and materials suffocatingly wasteful. I returned to these methods two years ago when my growing consciousness of modern waste culture led me to experiment with making my soap dishes, having recently learnt how to crochet. I consulted my under-the-sink collection of plastic bags to begin this project, cutting them into yarn and crocheting. 

One woman's trash...

I fell in love with the enormous variety of colours, tones and textures provided by discarded plastic bags, details which tend to be overlooked in a throwaway society. I began churning out soap dishes and moving onto larger projects including plant pots, bowls, baskets, plant hangers, coasters and placemats. The satisfaction of providing a new life to a 'waste product', and interrupting its journey towards landfill or the sea was (and is) motivating, and friends and family began to commission me.

Spreading the word & sharing skills

As zero waste shops grew in popularity, I began to approach a few local businesses who might be interested in stocking some of my items. I now stock in three Manchester locations, and one in London, with more on the horizon. Until recently I had been completing a Master's degree and working for a mental health charity, with Hot Knots being my additional project. Now, I'm looking to prioritise my creativity as a business, by setting up an online shop, increasing my branding, and establishing a waste packaging and plastic bag donation initiative. I also intend to run workshops with local communities and groups, to increase awareness and to promote upcycling skills. 

How will I use the funds?

Any money that I raise through Back her Business will go towards facilitating Hot Knots on a full-time basis. It will contribute to studio costs, travel costs for attending markets and exhibitions, materials for workshops, and branding necessities such as business cards and website fees. The funding will be crucial for increasing awareness of both my brand and its social impact motivations. It will allow me to allocate time to connect with local, national and international organisations who are conducting similar work within sustainable design. It will provide the possibility of hiring a marketing assistant, to support my online presence and to ensure that my brand is accurately aligned with its environmental motivations. Additional funds will also allow me to attend beach and city clean-ups, to reduce plastic pollution in public spaces and to look beyond donations for waste packaging materials.

Dreams for the future

My vision for the future is to run a small shop with a workshop space attached. I hope to continue developing my brand and my product range, as (hopefully) plastic bags will become less readily accessible. I plan to accept 'scrap' donations from charity shops, of clothes that are too damaged to sell on. These can be washed and cut into yarn and repurposed into beautiful and purposeful products that fight against the throwaway culture of the fast-fashion industry. Thank you for reading my story and vision, please visit @hotknots.libs on Instagram for more photos.  

This project successfully funded on 18th November 2019