Article 22's Peace Bomb bangles are made from remaining grenades in Laos
Innovative jeweller creates ‘explosive’ range
5.4 k views | Posted January 24, 2012 |
By Aaron Weinman
An American fashion designer has designed a series of bracelets using discarded Vietnam War bombs.
Dubbed Peace Bombs, the range of bracelets are crafted by local Lao artisans and made from bombs that have littered the country since the devastating Secret War between 1964-1973.
The online retailer and wholesaler, Article 22, launched the jewellery in an effort to reduce the amount of unexploded ordnance scattered across Laos. It is believed that 30 per cent of the cluster bombs dropped during the conflict are still sprawled across the country.
New York-based Elizabeth Suda, owner and founder of Article 22, first noted the skills of local Lao craftmen after she travelled through South East Asia and worked with the Rural Income through Sustainable Development (RISE) project implemented by the Swiss INGO - Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation Laos program.
Initially artisans in Laos’ Naphia Village collected scrap metal from the bombs and used wooden blocks and ash to make moulds and then the craftsmen cast spoons and bowls from recovered metals.
After witnessing this Suda imagined a market for unique jewellery with an emotional calling. She founded Article 22 upon realising that these local artisans had no way of marketing their products to the wider market.
Proceeds from the sale of Peace Bombs are shared across 10 Naphia-based families through donations to a village micro-credit fund that provides small business and other loans to members as well as supports community infrastructure projects.
Article 22 claims to not only provide assistance to the Lao community, the company’s Peace Bomb collection is ridding the country of weaponry that scarred the nation and its people. The purchase of one metal bracelet is the equivalent of three metres of bomb-littered land.
According to Suda, during the Vietnam war the US Airforce dropped approximately 250 million bombs on neighbouring country Laos, the most heavily bombed country, per capita, in history.
In addition to jewellery, Article 22 wholesales a variety of handbags and other fashion accessories.
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