Bottleware for Coca-Cola, Recycled Glass, Design by Nendo & Coca-Cola, Aomori, Japan, 2012.

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Coca-Cola’s “contour bottle” has been a brand icon since its inception in 1916. Entirely recyclable, the bottle can be collected, washed and refilled after each use. Nendo’s collection of bowls and dishes is made from bottles exhausted by extensive recycling. Captivated by the fine air bubbles and distortions, a hallmark of recycled glass, Nendo decided to create simple shapes that would enhance these traits. Nendo also kept other characteristics such as the green tint, known as Georgia Green, and the ring-shaped dimples on the base, as remnants of the former shape. Each piece of tableware tells a story about the way that glass circulates between people as it’s made, used and recycled, and the connections it makes in the process.