Laos artisans transforming scrap aluminium from bombs into soup spoons and jewellery

<p>Aluminium is an extraordinary metal. Versatile in properties and usage, this metal can be recycled infinitely to recreate articles of enhanced value and beauty. Instances are aplenty whereby aluminium derived from scrap has been upcycled and the final output have found place in museums and art galleries. Recycled aluminium objects in their various forms have delighted connoisseurs of art and architecture since years; but not many times people have come across things of use which have been made from an erstwhile destructive object. The artisans in Laos are doing exactly that - recycling aluminium from bombs that once devastated the region during war and creating spoons and other useful products in a makeshift backyard foundry in Ban Naphia village located at the edge of the ancient Plain of Jars. <br /><br />Much of the aluminium that the Laotian entrepreneurs use comes from the outer casings of cluster bombs, each of which is about the size of a soup can. The metal is re-melted and casted into the shapes of spoons and other useful articles. It has been years since they are making these products. Recently, they have diversified into jewellery making. It happened after their novel practice of recycling aluminium came to the attention of the social entrepreneur-cum fashion industry professional Elizabeth Suda. <br /><br /><img style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="http://www.alcircle.com/uploads/images/Ban_Napia_Spoons.jpg" alt="News" width="480" height="420" /><br /><br />Suda in her pursuit to understand more about global artisans and their fair-trade potential saw an opportunity to launch a global business to benefit the Laos artisans. Under her leadership, Laotians took to jewellery making out of recycled aluminium. <br /><br />{googleAdsense}<br /><br />They started re-melting aluminium from bombs detonated long back and transformed the recycled metal into bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more. They partnered with the Legacies of War and the Mines Advisory Group in taking their business ahead. <br /><br />Very recently, Suda launched the recycled aluminium jewellery and soupspoons range on an online store- a social enterprise based in New York. In addition to online presence, the jewellery is also available in 100 stores across Europe, Australia, the US, Canada, and Southeast Asia.</p>