Remarkable Recycled Products

Recycled House

• When it comes to housing, many people don't think "trash." Sure, some household products can be made from recycled materials, they think, but not a whole house. Wrong. People all across the world, such as Tito Ingenieri, who built a house made entirely out of beer bottles and trash, and Gerd Niemoller, inventor of a recycled-paper house, think that housing does not need to utilize hundreds of thousands of dollars of precious resources.

  If you love the concept of recycled houses, start by building a doghouse or play house in your backyard. A house in your neighborhood garden works to inspire a whole community to think "green." To contribute even further, use recyclable materials in abundance in your neighborhood.

Recycled Interiors

• Almost everything in your interior can originate from recycling: You can turn glass jars into lights, old doors into tables and doorknobs into cabinet pulls. Some companies even buy used furniture and refurbish them in new colors or convert the furniture for a new use.

  To create your own recycled furniture, go to a local thrift store. Pick up a cheap bookshelf or coffee table. Glue prints of your favorite art pieces or magazine photos to the top. Seal with a clear sealant.

Upcycled Clothes

• As the need to go green increases, many clothing designers look to "upcycling," or converting recyclable products into clothing. For example, Dominika Naziebly shows several different fashion-forward looks, all made out of recycled materials, on the website Recycleart.org.. She converts wool vests, denim and old shirts into couture dresses and pants.

  To create your own upcycled clothes, peruse the shirts, pants and skirts at a local thrift store for fabrics. Using scissors, thread and a sewing machine, convert these pieces from fashion trash to fashion art. Use inspiration from magazines and websites to create your looks.

Artistic Recycling

• Not all recycled products must serve a practical use. If your walls are barren, look to "green art," which repurposes trash into an artistic statement. For example, Natalie Starns added used paintbrushes and a vintage window to add depth and interest to pieces displayed on Recycleart.org.

  If you want to create a remarkable repurposed art project, start by collecting recyclable materials from your house or a local dump. Attach the items to each other using string, nails or glue and paint the items using spray paint. For a two-dimensional piece, add the recyclable materials to a canvas before or after you paint. Most of all, let the items direct your project.