Upcycled Vase From Plastic Bags

Plastic is one of the most challenging materials to recycle, as it is non-biodegradable and difficult to process. Most plastic is designed to be used once and then thrown away.

But what if plastic waste is not as useless as we think? What if we could transform this so-called waste into a work of art that is simultaneously creative, practical, and environmentally friendly?

"Rethinking uselessness" is the core concept behind the ReArt project. To learn more, visit https://artchen.org/reart/index.html.

To spread the idea, our studio organized a series of workshops where we upcycled plastic waste into beautiful flowerpots. We’re excited to share our process with you and hope more people will appreciate and enjoy this creative yet meaningful project. Along the way, we believe you’ll be just as amazed as we were by how much plastic waste we collect in our daily lives—and how easily we can transform it into incredible artwork.

Household plastic waste, including but not limited to plastic bags, bottles, boxes, and bubble wrap.

Masking tape

Plaster cloth rolls

Clear waterproof sealant

Acrylic paint and brush

Collect plastic bags from your daily use, ensuring they are dry. Clean the plastic bags to remove any food waste. Roll the bags into ropes and tie knots in them to form a tight bundle of plastic. For smaller or stiffer bags, you can cut them into strips before knotting them. These plastic knots will create the structure of our vase or sculpture.

Design your vase or sculpture first. Maybe you want a sculpture shaped like a dog, a snowman, or a mushroom. Note that if you want your vase to rest on a table, it will have to have a flat bottom, but if you want your vase to hang on a wall, it will have to have a flat side.

Once you have a clear idea, choose a bag large enough to fit your design. Place a flat sheet of plastic (e.g. an Amazon envelope, a box, etc.) inside the bag to create a flat back or bottom. Then, begin filling the bag with the knotted plastic bundles.

Then, place a plastic bottle inside the bag, making sure it points in the direction you want to. Make sure the opening of the bag does NOT line up with the opening of the bottle. Stretch a part of the bag over the bottle's opening, then cut a small hole in the bag and stretch it over the opening of the bottle.

Once the plastic bag is filled with the plastic bundles, secure its opening with tape. If the plastic bag has handles, tie them together.

Now, wrap masking tape around the vase to compress and secure it.

If you have a specific shape in mind, you should be molding the vase into that shape at this point. Adjust the position of the plastic bundles as needed to create your desired form.

Turn the vase upside down, mounting it on a bowl if necessary.

Cut the plaster cloth into smaller pieces, roughly 3 in. x 3 in. Hold two corners of the square and dip each piece in water. This ensures that the plaster cloth does not fold in on itself.

Apply the cloth to the vase, starting from the bottom of the vase. This way, by the time you finish covering the entire piece with plaster, the bottom will be nearly dry and ready to stand on the table. After applying the cloth, make sure there are no protruding folds (especially at the edges). Then rub the cloth gently in circles so that the plaster spreads evenly. Add more water as needed.

When you reach the opening of the vase, make sure to seal it securely with extra powdered plaster. If you do not do this step, the vase could crack there.

Warning: Make sure not to place the plaster cloth near the water. If water drips on the plaster, it will begin hardening prematurely.

Spray or paint on the sealant.

Paint the vase as desired. This is the part the students at our workshop enjoyed the most! Have fun as you create your own masterpiece!