Hopefully you encountered Victoria and her lovely Coffee Pod Creations at Petersfield Eco Fair.

Victoria is an artist, teacher and designer. Her interest in supply chains and sustainability originated at university. Since then, she has travelled and lived abroad, teaching workshops and selling her unique jewellery around the world to those that have a passion for conscious creations and sustainable style.

Here, she tells us what motivated her to start creating jewellery from items most people would consider single use disposable waste.

For many of us, wearing jewellery is simply something that we do; putting on rings, earrings or necklaces is a daily habit and part of our routine. We buy jewellery to celebrate special occasions; birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries and gifts. But how often do we stop and think about where it comes from? 

That’s why I started Coffee Pod Creations, a small creative business in Petersfield with an aim to make a difference. I design and make jewellery from aluminium coffee pods. I collect and clean disposed coffee pods and transform them into wearable pieces of jewellery ranging from stud earrings to brooches, necklaces and limited-edition cufflinks – reducing waste with each handmade piece.  

Aluminium is hypoallergenic, light weight and versatile which makes it perfect for jewellery. People are amazed when they discover the items are made from coffee pods. The jewellery is beautiful yet understated and it is fun to surprise others with the origin. The designs are handmade and no machinery is involved. The process is intricate and time consuming, however I am passionate about what I do.  

Did you know that every minute 39,000 coffee pods are made worldwide, while up to 29,000 are dumped in landfill sites? That’s a huge volume of aluminium going straight into landfill and damaging our environment. It’s staggering stats like these that drive my vision for Coffee Pod Creations, to look beyond the take-make-waste model and instead focus on upcycling. 

Culturally, the coffee capsule is a symbol of a busy lifestyle. My work represents the opposite: the slowing down and appreciating the little things. It is a conscious move towards a more sustainable jewellery practice. 

In future I hope Coffee Pod Creations will be part of the community in Petersfield, attending local events and fairs. I am keen to encourage everyone to rethink single use items and everyday ‘waste’. Who knows what treasures can be made from ‘trash’. 

Please visit my website www.coffeepodcreations.com and sign up to the newsletter for regular updates.

You can also find me on Etsy, a major shopping site which offsets 100% of carbon emissions.

*Research by Halo, 2019, a British producer of compostable coffee capsules