TerraCycle's
TerraCycle's Industrial Design and Art team creates custom upcycled work from hard-to-recycle materials. Their work includes art, sculpture, products, fashion, and furnishings. Working with materials that range from ocean-bound plastic to cigarette butts to potato chip bags and more, the TerraCycle Design team brings awareness to the beauty in waste materials and the importance of recycling and reuse.
Rivers and Roots, 2026
Recycled plastic sheets, beach plastic, screws, staples
Rivers and Roots is a map-inspired study of the Buffalo region crafted from recycled plastic sheets and collected beach debris. By transforming materials gathered from waterways and shorelines, the piece stands as a symbol of regional resilience—an assembly of discarded parts reimagined as a cohesive and enduring whole. Mirroring the city's architectural heritage, the beach plastic is arranged with inspiration from the Art Deco period.
Special thanks to Kelsey Moffitt, Tiffany Threadgould, Eric Ascalon, Beary Thazhathu, Carly Valen, Sean Lauer, and Connelly Jaqua for bringing this piece to life. Thanks to TerraCycle Foundation, Love Blue Inc., A Greener Future, and Keep America Beautiful for the beach plastic collections.
