sundance

BIO

Kathleen Plate grew up watching her mother make stained glass. While in college, she started making glass jewelry as a fun side hobby. She approached Indigo Girls singer and eco-store owner, Emily Saliers, hoping that Emily would sell some of her necklaces and bracelets. Emily loved Kathleen's jewelry, but she wouldn't put it in the shop since it wasn't recycled or eco-friendly. A couple of days later, Kathleen was admiring a bright blue glass Aveda bottle and she had an epiphany. She rushed to her workbench, cut up the bottle and Smart Glass Recycled Jewelry was born. Today, Kathleen's designs are in 500 stores across the U.S., and her beautiful, recycled baubles adorn the necks and ears of celebrities like Sienna Miller, Katherine Heigle and Amy Smart. Coca-cola and Aveda recently partnered with Plate's company to create lines of jewelry specifically from their recycled bottles. Kathleen also creates art installations and lamps out of recycled glass.