Writer Ken Saro-Wiwa is quoted on the Free Form Arts Trust as saying, “Art must transform the life of the community.” The Green Bottle Unit (GBU), founded and developed by Free Form, is proof of how this can be done.

The amount of glass waste being produced in London is increasing, thanks in part to our growing wine consumption. GBU takes this unwanted glass and transforms it into unique and high-value 100% recycled glass tiles and pavers. In all kinds of construction and development projects, they are tough enough to replace natural stone, cement and every ceramic material and beautiful enough to rival granite and marble. GBU produced tiles have been used in a wide range of locations regionally as well as locally; this includes markers for the Islington Canal Route as well as the Shoreditch Arts Trail.

However, GBU is not just about making things look pretty. The Unit is a locally owned social enterprise, engaged in manufacturing and located in the heart of one of the most deprived boroughs in the country. It provides an important boost to the local economy through creating employment opportunities, as well as training for local people in design and manufacturing. Furthermore, as an innovative recycling project, GBU is ideally placed to engage with the local community about environmental issues and inspire them to greater recycling – as well as great art.   

Case study issued in November 2005