When people discover that I make jewellery from used aluminium coffee pods, one of the first questions they ask is:

"Do you drink ALL this coffee?"

The answer always makes them smile.

No, I don't drink coffee at all. (I'm actually a tea drinker)

Instead, every single pod that becomes one of my necklaces or pairs of earrings has been collected by an amazing community of people who believe that something destined for the bin can have a completely different future.

It really is a community effort

I don’t source aluminum pods from just one person or place. Over the years I have received coffee pods from lots of different people and from lots of different places. However I do have some regular caffeine drinkers who, every few months, deliver a big bag of pods.

At markets, customers often arrive carrying little bags of pods they've been saving especially for me.

Sometimes I open my front door to find a bag waiting on the doorstep with a note saying, "Thought you could use these."

One of the shops that stocks my jewellery has become an unofficial collection point (The Barn).

Sometimes these pods have been cleaned and the coffee grounds removed. Another jeweller, Lauren, kindly collects her pods and posts them to me. Cleaning them first isn't just incredibly kind, but it makes the parcel much lighter to send and reduces postage costs.

Every donated pod tells me that someone chose not to throw it away. Instead, they thought about giving it a second life.

Not every delivery is glamorous...

Of course, collecting used coffee pods isn't as pretty as the finished jewellery.

Cleaning them is definitely the least glamorous part of what I do, but it's essential. Without clean pods, I have no materials to use!

Over the years, I have streamlined the process. The key is to clean in batches and have someone to talk to or something to listen to. I have been very grateful that my dad, who is retired, kindly helps me out with this part. 

Emptying the grounds is a dirty business. Last year, I was gifted a clever device which quickly removes the foil and includes a spoon to scoop out the coffee. Before that I was using scissors (if you do try this, please be VERY careful) you don’t want to have an accident.

Every pod is cleaned three separate times before it's ready to become jewellery. I use as little water as possible, relying mostly on plenty of elbow grease.

Once dry, I sort each one by colour and store it until inspiration strikes.

It takes time, patience, and a lot of determination, but it's worth every minute.

A milestone I'm finally sharing

I'm not naturally someone who shouts about achievements. I'm usually much more interested in getting on with designing and making the next piece.

In fact, it took my business mentor asking, "Why aren't you sharing this?" before I stopped to think about it.

When I worked it out, the number surprised even me.

I've now cleaned nearly 10,000 coffee pods.

Ten thousand.

That's almost 10,000 coffee pods collected by people in my local community, cleaned by hand, sorted by colour and given the chance to become something completely new.

It isn't just my milestone.

It's a reflection of what a small community can achieve together.

It also gives me the chance to upcycle jewellery from coffee pods.

Upcycled doesn't mean lower quality

One of the biggest misconceptions about upcycled jewellery is that they're somehow worth less because they're made from materials that have already had a previous life.

I believe the opposite is true.

Every piece I make begins with a material that many people overlook. It then goes through a lengthy process of cleaning, preparing, designing, shaping, assembling, and finishing entirely by hand.

The aluminium itself is incredibly durable, lightweight, and colourful. Rather than hiding what it once was, I celebrate it by showing just how beautiful everyday materials can become.

Choosing creativity over waste.

If you've ever donated a coffee pod to me, thank you.

Whether you dropped it into one of my collection points, handed it over at a market, left it on my doorstep, or posted it from across the country, you've played a part in those nearly 10,000 pods.

And who knows?

The next one might become someone's favourite pair of earrings.

Here's some upcycled jewellery from coffee pods