Chilean designer Alexandra Guerrero designs a soft wool-like thread made from recycled cigarette butts!


Images: mantis

It’s never fun to see cigarette butts lying in your yard, on the streets or in public places.  Not only do they smell gross, but they also add to the litter that’s already on the ground.  Wouldn’t it be cool if someone invented a way to recycle those cigarette butts into something useful?  Chilean designer Alexandra Guerrero has discovered a chic way to recycle those nasty cigarette butts.  She’s turning them into stylish threads.

The idea for the Mantis Project began while Guerrero was writing a graduate thesis.  She was unhappy with the amount of cigarette butt waste she saw strewn around the city of Santiago, Chile, so she set out to find a way to recycle it.  After gathering cigarette butts that she found at bars, on the street and in restaurants, she used an autoclave to sterilize them.  The butts were then washed and sent through a purification process.  Finally, they were shredded and blended with natural wool.  The end result: a golden wool-like thread that she uses to make dresses, hats and other cool accessories.

Here are a few of her designs:









Guerrero consulted with environmental engineer Caroline Leiva to make sure that the recycled cigarette butts were harmless on human skin.  The butts achieved 95% purified status, and according to Guerrero, that’s safe to use.

Whether you would wear these recycled cigarette threads or not, you’ve got to admit that this is one of the most creative ways to reduce litter…ever. Wouldn’t you agree?