My foray into making baskets was accidental.

I pick up flotsam and jetsam (rope and plastic) off the beaches on Hornby Island. Every year over 9 million metric tons of marine waste wash up on shores around the world. Instead of throwing the rope into the landfill, I thought these discarded bits of rope and plastic could be repurposed to create something beautiful. I was motivated to weave baskets using the salvaged rope and twine that was destined for the landfill.

The rope is washed, stripped into pieces, sometimes dyed, and then stretched and stitched together. A twisted piece of reclaimed rope is transformed into a uniquely beautiful basket.

My work represents my concern about the profusion of plastic in the world and the increasing quantity of waste in landfills. This is a way to share my love for the ocean and our need to care for the earth. I am hoping to inspire people to the possibility of renewal and to protect the earth.

Weaving the world clean!   – Kim Fagerlund