Souda’s Luminous Bubble Chandelier is Made From Bottles Collected by NYC’s Homeless

Inhabitat was really excited to see Brooklyn’s own <a href="http://soudasouda.com" target="_blank">Souda</a> in person at this year’s <a href="http://inhabitat.com/icff/" target="_blank">ICFF</a>. The young collective’s gorgeous <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/soudas-bubble-chandelier-is-made-of-plastic-bottles-collected-by-homeless-individuals-in-nyc/" target="_blank">Bubble Chandelier</a> is not only made from recycled soda bottles, but also provides jobs to New York City’s homeless population. Souda works with non-profit <a href="http://www.surewecan.org/" target="_blank">SURE WE CAN</a>’s homeless-friendly bottle redemption center to source the bottles, giving a portion back to the homeless population that collects them.

Glowing a glittering green in the Souda booth, the Bubble Chandelier is made from 60 <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bottle-up-recycles-glass-bottles-into-fragrance-difussing-pendant-lamps/" target="_blank">post-consumer PET bottles</a>.

Riveted together in a beautifully chunky sphere, the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/hip-handcrafted-pendant-lamps-made-from-recycled-beer-bottles/" target="_blank">bumpy bottoms and nozzles of each bottle</a> are still evident, adding to the crystalline aesthetic of the piece.

Each Bubble Chandelier is handmade, and comes in either clear or transparent green.

Souda’s beautiful design doesn’t just give back to the planet by salvaging <a href="http://inhabitat.com/glowing-nourishment-lamp-feeds-the-eyes-with-elegant-design/" target="_blank">disused plastic bottles</a>, but also to the community in which they were made.

Hand crafted in Brooklyn, each of the bottles used was collected by a person from the area’s homeless community. SURE WE CAN’s bottle redemption center is the only homeless-friendly of its kind in New York, helping to help the homeless make some money for themselves.

Beyond just the five cent redemption, Souda also donates 15% of the profit made from the Bubble Chandelier back to the homeless, creating an additional benefit for the bottle collectors. The glittering Bubble Chandelier is the symbol of local craftsmanship, while being socially and eco-friendly- and it’s pretty too!