Charming Jewelry Marries Recycled Broken Wood With Bio-Resin

Updated February 19, 2021

Recycled jewelry can be just as beautiful as new shiny specimens; oftentimes it can be even more creative and attractive due to its reincarnated nature. Using humble pieces of broken maple wood, German product designer Marcel Dunger transforms these typically discarded pieces into lovely, minimalist accessories by joining them with eco-friendly bio-resins.

© Marcel Dunger

In a subtle marriage of wood with man-made materials, Dunger embeds jagged pieces of wood into coloured bio-resins, and then machines them by hand to produce smooth, geometric forms that are hardened in the sun to become rings, earrings and pendants.

© Marcel Dunger

Dunger's jewelry is understated but thanks to its light touches of peachy pink, sea-green and citrus yellow, each piece gains a little unique, "look-at-me" quality that would appeal to wearers wanting something a little different from the usual metal adornments.

© Marcel Dunger

Bio-resins are used to delicate effect here; being either biodegradable or compostable, these plant-based materials are safer to dispose of, more energy-efficient to manufacture, and emit less emissions during production, making them a good alternative to traditional polyurethane based plastics.

Overall, this elegant collection shows that if we can imaginatively re-think what is considered "waste," we can generate a lot of unexpected beauty in the world. See more over at Marcel Dunger's website.