Upcycling is emerging as one of the key trends associated with the circular economy, and Douwe Egbert’s Brewtiful Beginnings jars – a limited edition offering featuring the work of local artists Wayne Beukes, Zinhle Sithebe, Ndumiso Nyoni and Bonolo Chepape – speaks directly to this exciting and creative movement.
There are a number of ways that the beautiful jars can be reused. Here are just a few ideas:
- DIY reed diffuser: Soothing scent instantly elevates any space. However, commercially available reed diffusers can be costly. Your Douwe Egbert jar can solve this problem: simply create a blend comprising your favourite essential oil (like energising peppermint or relaxing lavender) with a carrier oil such as sweet almond. Place reeds in the mixture to absorb the scent and diffuse it, so that it fills your rooms.
- Super storage: Douwe Egberts is known for premium coffee – and, of course, the air-tight jars play a key role in ensuring the freshness that is key for its great flavour. This works to your advantage in the pantry: use the jars to keep staples like flour, pasta, sugar or legumes fresh. Then again, because they’re so pretty, the jars work equally well for bathroom storage. Place them proudly on your bathroom shelves so that essentials like cotton wool or toothpaste are within easy reach.
- Gifting: Not mad about wrapping gifts? Understandable – it can take a lot of effort to make a present look professional. What’s more, wrapping paper adds to the cost of gifts, and most often it is not recyclable (some wrapping paper even contains harmful chemicals and plastics). These beautiful glass jars offer a great alternative: fill them with goodies, and you have a creative way to present gifts. This works particularly well for gifts like treat hampers or craft kits for kids. Tie a bow around the neck of the jar to add a festive touch.
- Mood lighting: Want to create a mood for entertaining? Look to lighting. For a simple, yet effective, statement, place a candle inside your Douwe Egbert jar; it’s flickering light will instantly up the ambience. Or, if you’re entertaining al fresco, suspend your jar – with the candle inside – inside a macrame basket, and hang it from a tree. You can even place a string of small fairy lights inside the jar for a little sparkly magic.
- Vases and planters: Your Douwe Egberts jar makes an attractive vase for any bouquet. Or, you can make a permanent planter out of the jar by filling it halfway with sand and small pebbles, then planting your favourite herbs or succulents. You can even turn your jars into a hanging garden: bend floral wire into an upside down ‘u’, then twist the ends around the neck of the jar.
ABOUT DOUWE EGBERTS
Douwe Egberts boasts a rich heritage that began in 1753 when Egbert Douwes opened the Witte Os shop in Joure, Friesland. In 1895, the Frisian lady was introduced on the packaging to represent “hospitality,” embodying the brand’s warm and welcoming ethos. In 1919, Douwe Egberts marked a significant milestone by opening its headquarters and the very first distillery on Catharijnekade in Utrecht, Netherlands. The Douwe Egberts seal was trademarked in 1925, further establishing its reputation for quality. Today, Douwe Egberts continues to build on this storied legacy, delivering exceptional coffee experiences worldwide.
