Wealth from Waste
The Retyrement Plan
Just as you admiringly watch the vibrant colours of the couches and chairs, Anu Tandon Vieira reveals that every furniture piece is made out of old discarded car tyres and ropes made of tailoring waste and plastic wrappers. “Having worked on a range of market driven projects for over 25 years, as a designer, I started feeling the need to, in some way, use my experience and expertise in making a difference, to the environment,” says Vieira, a post-graduate in textiles from the National Institute of Design. Five years ago, she launched The Retyrement Plan that incorporates waste generated by industries to create beautiful furniture pieces. Every tyre is washed and sanitised and skilled cane weavers then intertwine thick durable ropes made of plastic waste in Gujarat and Rajasthan waste with cane and start weaving the piece. During her research, Vieira found a particular type of rope that’s made by craftsmen in Gujarat and started using it. With every rope fashioned from waste, each strand offers a rainbow of colours that add to the furniture piece.