Extrude.studio, a French industrial design studio, has developed 10 clever ways to turn a jar into a piggy bank, soap holder and even an ashtray.
Containers, such as jars and bottles, were invented in the 19th century in order to preserve food. These containers have since become popular with DIYers and upcyclers who like to make cute objects out of them. Some popular items made from these containers include vases, terrariums, lanterns, and tumblers.
The humble vessel has grown into one of the most versatile pieces of glassware ever invented. But its versatility may be due to something that is not glass at all: what goes on top.
Extrude, a French industrial design studio, has created 10 lids that can turn an ordinary glass jar into a fun piggy bank, a practical soap holder and even an ashtray. The lids screw onto the glass jar. The studio is shipping the lids only to Europe, but if you have access to a 3D printer at home, you can buy Extrude’s design file for a few dollars.
It began with the ashtray in typical French flair. The majority of the lid holders were created by Emilie Durand, one of the studio’s four founders, who adds, “I could go on about poetry, but the fact is pretty simple. “A visitor to my home who frequently needed an ashtray simply snatched a jar that was laying around.” But how can one put a cigarette on a jar with a large mouth? The solution offered by Durand is a ring-shaped holder with a laser-cut tray that screws onto the top of the jar.
The entire set is based on the same idea and consists of a candle holder, an incense holder, a self-watering pot, and a segmented pencil pot with space for an eraser. You could argue that the jars can often serve the same purpose without the use of the holders; for example, you could keep your paintbrushes in a jar of water or use a tea light instead. However, if you look a little closer, you will see the elevated ergonomics. More tea candles can be kept underneath a lid that also serves as a tea candleholder (the candle rests on a thin layer of cork, preventing the plastic from warping). Additionally, a paintbrush holder eliminates the need for your brushes to damp and bend while
“It goes back to the DNA of the studio, which is all about making objects that are functional and aesthetic,” says Mano Silberzahn, another one of Extrude’s founders who designed the paintbrush holder as well as a knock box that lets espresso machine owners dump their used coffee grounds in style. “It’s also about shifting the way people look at objects—in particular, waste.”
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