Small Business Saturday: Nurdle in the Rough
Small Business Saturday is about celebrating small businesses and their successes over the year! As a small business myself, I know what kind of hard work and dedication goes into every detail, especially for hand made products such as these. I came across Nurdle in the Rough through a fellow art teacher friend, and was instantly in love with her fine jewelry and message. I chose to highlight Kathleen Crabill because I think that more people should know about the her work and process, as she brings attention to the disastrous affects of marine debris and plastics in our oceans. Here is a little insight from her website, but if you would like to learn more, please visit Nurdleintherough.com. I am also a proud owner of a necklace from her Drift Collection, which I pictured below!
Aloha, I'm Kathleen Crabill and I love our oceans.
I am distressed by the amount of plastic that is floating around in our oceans and washing ashore here on the Big Island of Hawai'i, so I am using my passion and skills to bring attention to the problem. Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry is a small business with big dreams located in a tiny coffee shack in Holualoa, Hawai'i. All of my jewelry is made from marine debris and %100 recycled precious metals.
When you wear a unique piece of jewelry, people will comment on it all day long. Jewelry is an amazing conversation starter. My goal in starting Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry is to facilitate conversations about plastic pollution. If each piece of jewelry I make inspires just one person to rethink one aspect of their daily lives, and begin to move away from throwaway plastic consumption – I will feel like I've helped to make an impact.
Why buy Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry?
When you buy a piece of Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry – you're buying a beautiful, unique, handcrafted item that will last a lifetime or more. You are also supporting an environmentally conscious small business and helping to fund vital work to protect our oceans. All metals I use are fair trade and recycled, I donate 10% of profits toward marine conservation in addition to volunteering my time directly for beach cleanups, and I even silk screen all of my packaging myself – using recycled materials. You can rest assured that each piece is handcrafted with the utmost attention to detail.
What is a Nurdle?
Nurdles are the pre-production material used to make all plastic products. They're little plastic balls that are melted down into everything from water bottles to bathing suits to children's toys. They are one of the leading forms of plastic pollution, as a surprisingly large number of them end up flowing directly into the ocean.
I hope that the name Nurdle in the Rough evokes the thought that there is potential for beauty and change even in the ugliest places, and I hope you join me in working toward a cleaner future. To learn more about nurdles, click here.
Where is the plastic used in the jewelry collected from?
Most plastic that I collect is from Kamilo Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii, about an hour from where I live. Kamilo literally translates to twisting currents, and it was once a valued location where Hawaiians would collect large logs from the Pacific Northwest to use for canoes. Nowadays, the debris washing ashore at Kamilo is primarily plastic, and it is coming from all over the world. Read more about Kamilo here.
Want to know more about plastic pollution in our oceans? Check out my Links section and follow the work of leading experts in the field of ocean conservation and plastic pollution education.
Hope you are inspired and amazed by this talented artist! I just love to see where each piece comes from and what it looks like when she has finished transforming it into something beautiful. Following her on instagram is one way to see her progress daily.
Thanks Kathleen!
Here is my personal piece and its origins:
Aloha, I'm Kathleen Crabill and I love our oceans.
I am distressed by the amount of plastic that is floating around in our oceans and washing ashore here on the Big Island of Hawai'i, so I am using my passion and skills to bring attention to the problem. Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry is a small business with big dreams located in a tiny coffee shack in Holualoa, Hawai'i. All of my jewelry is made from marine debris and %100 recycled precious metals.
When you wear a unique piece of jewelry, people will comment on it all day long. Jewelry is an amazing conversation starter. My goal in starting Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry is to facilitate conversations about plastic pollution. If each piece of jewelry I make inspires just one person to rethink one aspect of their daily lives, and begin to move away from throwaway plastic consumption – I will feel like I've helped to make an impact.
Why buy Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry?
When you buy a piece of Nurdle in the Rough Jewelry – you're buying a beautiful, unique, handcrafted item that will last a lifetime or more. You are also supporting an environmentally conscious small business and helping to fund vital work to protect our oceans. All metals I use are fair trade and recycled, I donate 10% of profits toward marine conservation in addition to volunteering my time directly for beach cleanups, and I even silk screen all of my packaging myself – using recycled materials. You can rest assured that each piece is handcrafted with the utmost attention to detail.
What is a Nurdle?
Nurdles are the pre-production material used to make all plastic products. They're little plastic balls that are melted down into everything from water bottles to bathing suits to children's toys. They are one of the leading forms of plastic pollution, as a surprisingly large number of them end up flowing directly into the ocean.
I hope that the name Nurdle in the Rough evokes the thought that there is potential for beauty and change even in the ugliest places, and I hope you join me in working toward a cleaner future. To learn more about nurdles, click here.
Where is the plastic used in the jewelry collected from?
Most plastic that I collect is from Kamilo Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii, about an hour from where I live. Kamilo literally translates to twisting currents, and it was once a valued location where Hawaiians would collect large logs from the Pacific Northwest to use for canoes. Nowadays, the debris washing ashore at Kamilo is primarily plastic, and it is coming from all over the world. Read more about Kamilo here.
Want to know more about plastic pollution in our oceans? Check out my Links section and follow the work of leading experts in the field of ocean conservation and plastic pollution education.
Hope you are inspired and amazed by this talented artist! I just love to see where each piece comes from and what it looks like when she has finished transforming it into something beautiful. Following her on instagram is one way to see her progress daily.
Thanks Kathleen!
Here is my personal piece and its origins: