Combining Handcraft Production With Social Innovation – DLIT
Based on their design motto “Turn Neglect into Shine”, Alchemist Creations has created their very first product line called CAN Series featuring the CAN WATCH series and CAN CARRY series. While the CAN CARRY series featuring a clutch made from soda can bottoms and left over fabrics did not move me, what really impressed me is their uber cool watch series. These hand-crafted watches are made from the bottom part of the soda cans.
“We believe in discovering beauty in the mundane and turn them into elegant goods. We utilize social resources and we created innovative sustainable product designs.” explains the founders of Alchemist Creations. They added, “We think from the basic and design from the basic. We take the readily available materials and we maximize the possibilities and make them design features. We ensure every product designed is a seamless integration of sustainability and innovation.”
The watch is available in three different versions: The basic CAN-WATCH has a finely polished shiny metal finish case. The CAN-WATCH 30 features the originality of soda cans as well as the specific colours branded on them. Only the concave surface has been treated with shiny polishing. The designers have taken the watch design to another level with their CAN-WATCH 50 which is a highly customizable fashion watch. The case of CAN-WATCH 50 is similar to the CAN-WATCH 30, instead the watch hands and stitches (on leather strap) can be matched to the case colour. While the CAN-WATCH 30 comes with a fabric strap available in four colours (Zero Black, Fanta Orange, Sprite Green and Coke Red), the other two versions feature a leather strap available in a variety of youthful colours.
CAN-WATCH 30 & CAN-WATCH 50
The most touching part about these watches is the fact that the designers have employed the the under-privileged who are often neglected by the society. Alchemist assists them to re-insert themselves into the society and also regain their lost confidence and respect by offering job opportunities to them. Alchemist evokes the revolution of “Combining Handcraft Production With Social Innovation”, and that’s exactly the image created through the CAN SERIES.