This is a glass cup for iced tea made of waste bottles of Awamori (classic Okinawan liquor) by using a traditional Ryukyu glass production method. The refreshing feel of the designed glass can be used not only for iced tea, but also as a small bowl and sake glass. Ryukyu glass, which is uniquely uses recycled glass, has been certified as a traditional craft of Okinawa Prefecture and is attracting attention and increasing name recognition.
The “Vintage” series is a Studio Glass32 standard product, which was born from the creative sensibility of a Ryukyu glass artisan in addition to maximizing the potential of waste bottle usage. It features a soft shape and the Gushiken black color lip of the glass. Gushiken Black, which accentuates the glass, is a type of recycled glass created by Studio Glass32. The series name “Vintage” symbolizes the long time the studio took to make Gushiken Black.
The studio aims to produce easy-to-use, simple and unadorned products. For example, to create the sleek shape of the lip, the unnecessary thickness of the lip was trimmed off and the waste part of glass is carefully designed at the right angle to prevent it from slipping out of your hand. Additionally, the glass is comfortable to hold; therefore, it is easy to handle for women and children.
The history of Ryukyu glass began from the end of the war when the whole of Japan had a lack of daily supplies. During such a time, the glass was born making use of the waste bottles of coke, beer, etc., from US military bases. Presently, in such an era of many people have everything they want, Ryukyu Glass Studio Glass32 would like people to learn the history of recycled glass through Ryukyu glass.