Fah Sattayaphan has been a jewelry designer for 13 years in Koh Samed, Thailand. The tiny paradise among the eastern seaboard islands of Thailand has long inspired her beachy collections designed of beads, string, and macramé. But in recent years Koh Samed has experienced the same emergent problem found in coastal communities around the globe: marine pollution.

Since joining her local Trash Hero community, Fah became motivated by the idea of upcycling – baskets, rope, fishing gear and more collected from the island’s weekly beach cleans can be restored and reused. This concept soon made its way into her jewelry designs.

In collaboration with Hilke Scholz, a German fashion designer committed to sustainable, low-waste fashion, Fah designed a collection that was displayed at Laos Fashion Week in September. The jewelry and accessories presented were made entirely from objects collected from the sea and coastline during beach cleans in Koh Samed, giving items discarded as waste new value and purpose.

“Trash will not be trash if we value it,” Fah said of her collection. “It can be beautiful and usable.”

The pieces Fah presented included bracelets, belts, and earrings. Her intricate macramé technique is contrasted by long hanging unfinished ends that show the origin of the material. Together, the fashion and jewelry collection served as a reminder to appreciate the value of material and craft and to restore the inviolability of nature.

Since working on this collaborative collection, Fah said she has completely stopped buying any new material for her jewelry design – she intends to continue using only trash found during cleanups. This way, she hopes to promote sustainability through her business and urge people to reconsider their approach to their own waste.

Fah’s designs will be sold at Ministry Of Silk in Vientiane, and profits will be donated to an organisation that supports the flood victims of southern Laos, the COPE center that supports bomb victims and prevents future accidents, and the Lao Young Designer Award that gives scholarships to young Lao design talents.

Check out more of Fah’s work on Koh Samed here.