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Helsinki-based Textile and Jewellery Artist Aino Favén works with a wide range of materials—starting with natural elements in her early years and later shifting towards recycled materials, particularly plastic. This choice is not only a response to environmental concerns but also an exploration of the unexpected aesthetic potential found in discarded objects. Favén is especially fascinated by how an ordinary plastic bag or bottle can be transformed into something magical—soft, translucent, and evocative.

“Much of our waste today is plastic—a petroleum-based material the earth cannot digest. Nearly every piece of plastic ever created still exists, except for the small amount that has been incinerated, releasing toxic chemicals. In the oceans, plastic collects into vast swirling gyres of waste. Yet plastic production continues to rise. I believe the best thing designers can do is to create objects that are timeless in form and durable in use.”

Through her work, Favén challenges conventional ideas of value and beauty, turning environmental critique into poetic, tactile expression.