editorial

Words by James Louie October 10, 2025
A new homeware line turns Bali’s trash into treasure.
<figure id="attachment_149126" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149126" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-149126" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head-Raw-Materials-Credit-Adrian-Morris-Left-and-Dwinanda-Aldyan-Right.jpg" alt="Wasted by Potato Head transforms oyster shells and recycled Styrofoam into eco-stylish homewares; recycling glass for Wasted’s Broken Glassware line at an off-site glassmaking workshop." width="1200" height="894" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149126" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: Wasted by Potato Head transforms oyster shells and recycled Styrofoam into eco-stylish homewares; recycling glass for Wasted’s Broken Glassware line at an off-site glassmaking workshop. (Photos: Adrian Morris (left), Dwinanda Aldyan)</figcaption></figure>
Blurring the lines between art and hospitality, wellness and entertainment, <a href="https://destinasian.com/travel-guide/indonesia/bali" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bali</a>’s Desa Potato Head is also a test bed for eco-innovation. The seaside “creative village” sends just 0.5 percent of its waste to landfill—the rest is upcycled in inventive ways. Potato Head has translated its R&amp;D experiments using discarded materials into bespoke furniture, accessories, and textiles that dot the Desa, many created in tandem with British designer Max Lamb.
Now, you can give your abode the same eco-chic look with Collection 001, the inaugural homeware range from <a href="https://thewastedco.com/?DestinAsian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wasted by Potato Head</a>. A series of functional pieces that merge Balinese craft traditions with a contemporary style, it’s the fruition of five years’ collaboration between Lamb and the Indonesian lifestyle brand.
Shredded plastic derived from bottle caps, toothpaste tubes, and jerrycans get a second life as chairs, coasters, and hand mirrors with a painterly quality. Retired hotel linens are dyed with indigo leaves and woven into small rugs and tablemats. Crushed glass finds multiple uses: melted down to be hand-blown for tableware, or repurposed as glaze for ceramic bowls and plates. Potato Head’s “styroshell” material also makes an appearance. This mixture of recycled Styrofoam and seashells from the Desa’s restaurant kitchens is molded into flamingo-pink trays and vases. Available online and in selected stores, Collection 001 demonstrates the power of design as a solution for seemingly intractable global problems.
<figure id="attachment_149125" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149125" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-149125" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head-Chair-and-collaboration-with-Max-Lamb-Credit-Dwinanda-Aldyan.jpg" alt="A plastic chair made from recycled bottle caps and toothpaste tubes; Max Lamb discussing design ideas." width="1200" height="894" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head-Chair-and-collaboration-with-Max-Lamb-Credit-Dwinanda-Aldyan.jpg 1200w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head-Chair-and-collaboration-with-Max-Lamb-Credit-Dwinanda-Aldyan-300x224.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head-Chair-and-collaboration-with-Max-Lamb-Credit-Dwinanda-Aldyan-1024x763.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head-Chair-and-collaboration-with-Max-Lamb-Credit-Dwinanda-Aldyan-768x572.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149125" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: A plastic chair made from recycled bottle caps and toothpaste tubes; Max Lamb discussing design ideas. (Photos: Dwinanda Aldyan)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_149124" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-149124" style="width: 1800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-149124" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Wasted-by-Potato-Head_Credit-Adrian-Morris.jpeg" alt="A worker at Potato Head’s in-house recycling facility with a “styroshell” vase." width="1800" height="1200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-149124" class="wp-caption-text">A worker at Potato Head’s in-house recycling facility with a “styroshell” vase. (Photo: Adrian Morris)</figcaption></figure>
This article originally appeared in the <a href="https://subscription.destinasian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">October/November 2025</a> print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Wasted Opportunity”). Buy a single issue or subscribe <a href="https://subscription.destinasian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

A worker at Potato Head’s in-house recycling facility with a “styroshell” vase.

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