Creative with litter: Corrie makes hats & lamps among other things

Corrie: “If you want to improve the world, you have to start somewhere yourself and inspire others to do the same. I do this by offering crochet courses. I use plastic litter for this, so we recycle in a creative way.”Years ago, Corrie was annoyed by the enormous amounts of plastic litter in the city. She wanted to do ‘something’ about it. In 2007, she came up with the idea of plastic recycling, both in a functional and creative way. “I started collecting plastic waste: bottles, shopping bags, packaging. And I began to carefully make things out of it, like jewelry. The processing technique is traditional crocheting, so the name for the project was immediately there:Haak-In.”

In a gatekeeper’s lodge

“Although working from home was enjoyable, I decided to look for a more professional space. By chance, I ended up in Molukkenstraat in Amsterdam East. There were two so-called ‘Gatekeeper’s houses’ vacant, for which the District and the housing corporation were seeking a suitable purpose. These ‘Gatekeeper’s houses’, built in the early 20th century, were part of a project initiated by the well-known Amsterdam architect J. van der Pek and served as an entrance to a viewing garden (inner garden), intended for all residents. My objectives – creatively processing plastic, being accessible, and promoting social cohesion – aligned with this. I have been here since 2010.”

Crocheting chair seats

The activities have expanded significantly over time. Courses are organized, and a wide range of products are manufactured, such as glasses cases, hats, bags, and baskets. “We even make chair seats (chair cane) nowadays. People from the wider area know how to find me, and as a result, I am also assured of a continuous flow of plastic waste.”

Captain Charles Moore

In 2011, she met the American Captain Charles Moore, a now very well-known ocean waste fighter, with his ‘Algalita Marine Research and Education’. In 2018, he was back in the Netherlands and so enthusiastic about the ‘Haak-In’ activities that he contacted us again. “He participated in a course to pimp his captain’s uniform with plastic waste. An unforgettable experience. He also wanted a new hat from the collection of‘Corrie’s Creatie’purchase. Because the hat he bought in 2011, he had exchanged for a bead necklace with the Yanawana leader of an Amazon tribe in Brazil during the Zero Waste conference in Brazil.”(text continues below the photo)

Lamps made of plastic ice cream spoons

“All these activities give me a good feeling, doing something for the city, for the people. Various projects are in the pipeline, such as making lamps from plastic ice cream spoons – which would otherwise just be thrown away. I really see it as a beautiful addition to everything that is already being done in Amsterdam.”Interview: Jan BarnhoornPhotos: Huub Zeeman

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