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xaquixe

Xaquixe (Mexico)

Glassblowing studio in the outskirts of Oaxaca pioneering new and improved ideas for waste and energy efficiency. The studio operates self-designed heat recovery systems fed by biofuel, and uses 95% recycled glass as their main material, paying local residents for their collections. Unlike most recycled glass, the cups and paperweights they produced for us in 2013 are clear and tint-free. Paperweights inspired by artist Thomas Ruff’s photograms of Mars employed an experimental torching process to effect a miniature Milky Way galaxy captured in glass. Master glassblower Christian Thornton founded the studio with Salime Harp Cruces in 2002. Together, they built a team of artisans who share an adventuresome and dynamic camaraderie.