What is Jaf's Crafts About?

Our story begins several years ago while reading a popular magazine. I came across a full-page ad put out by Target encouraging recycling of their plastic shopping bags. The ad provided instructions to fold the page into an envelope to use to mail in five of their bags in exchange for a reusable tote. 

Before long I was researching plastic recycling methods and discovered some women in Nigeria who were cutting plastic shopping bags into strips that were then twisted into durable yarn.  I also came across videos showing how plastic soda bottles could be converted into a variety of items from durable cordage to decorative beads!  An entire universe of information and community was discovered that launched an explosion of creativity expressed through recycled art.

Fast forward to today and Jaf's Crafts is proud of the growth and development into additional materials beyond plastic soda bottles and grocery bags to include metal sculptures and chainmail from wire hangers as well as decorative wall art originating from wiper blades to frozen pizza boxes!

 Additionally, we joined the growing 3D printing community with the recent purchase of the Bambu Labs X1 Carbon 3D printer. We will begin showcasing specially selected designs & prints in our newly developed space we're calling "Kim's Corner". 

At Jaf's Crafts our mission is to be a benefit to our community. Whether it's through raising awareness on the need for recycling, and the myriad ways of gaining additional benefit from common everyday items, or whether it's through sharing information on methods and techniques to "reduce, reuse & recycle", Jaf's Crafts will continue finding creative and innovative ways to breathe new life into items originally destined for the trash bin!

The coming year is shaping up to be an exciting one for sure! With the expansion of our 3D printing, not only will we have printed items available for purchase, we are also finding creative ways to utilize the surprisingly large amount of waste it generates. Videos showcasing the new artistic uses for the waste materials are in the works!

The long term future of Jaf's Crafts is to continue expanding material variety and to ultimately develop a plastic recycling economy similar to those established around scrap metal recycling.  Additionally, our goal here at Jaf's Crafts is to raise awareness and generate support for efforts toward affordable housing development through the Fi-Miskeen Project, an endeavor near and dear to our hearts that focuses on generating funds through social media crowd sourcing.