Repurposing Your Wine Corks and Bottles

From Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc, if you’re a big wine fan, then chances are high that you ensure not a single drop goes to waste. That said, have you ever put much thought into how you could reduce the other waste that is produced when you’ve finished your bottle? 

The UK produces about 200,000 tonnes of waste in the form of glass every year. A considerable amount of this waste results from used wine bottles even though they can easily be recycled or repurposed, and all of this waste is dumped in landfills. On a similar thread, around 13 billion bottle corks are incorrectly disposed of each year. 

With that in mind, here are some simple yet fun ways that you can repurpose your wine corks and bottles! 

Wine Bottle Wind Chime

If you’re looking to redecorate your garden in time for spring, you can’t go wrong with a Wine Bottle Wind Chime. Not only are they easy to make, but they’re also incredibly stylish and a great way to add a little something special to your garden this year. 

1. Choose your wine bottle. Clean thoroughly, using hot water and a little soap to gently remove the label (unless you want to feature this in your design).
2. Fill two bowls with water, one hot and one cold (iced)
3. Draw a line around your wine glass at the point where you would like to cut it. You should aim to remove the lower half of the bottle, as this is the area where the charms will hang. Then score over the line using a sharp object.
4. Take it in turns to dip the water into each bowl. Eventually, the bottom will break away. 
5. Polish the edge of the glass for a smooth finish before hanging the string through the mouth of the bottle. Then attach chimes (perhaps made from corks, bottle caps or similar items) and display! 

Wine Glass Vase

While you could create a Wine Glass Vase by simply placing flowers in the mouth of your wine glass, you probably would not be able to display very many flowers this way. However, using a similar method as described above, you could create a fun wine glass vase that’s appealing to look at in itself, flowers or not! 

1. Select your wine bottle. Clean thoroughly and remove the label using soap and warm water.
2. Fill two bowls with water, one hot and one cold (iced)
3. Draw a line around your wine glass at the point at which you would like to cut it. This time, you should remove the mouth of the bottle (the narrow section) so that you have space to fill your vase with flowers. Score this section.
4. Take it in turns to dip the water into each bowl. Eventually, the bottom will break away.  Polish the edge to remove any sharp edges. 
5. Fill with a little water, some plant food and your favourite flowers. 

Wine Glass Light

Some wine bottles are worth saving because they are distinctive in design or aesthetically pleasing, which can make them very fun and impressive to collect. This also means that they make excellent standalone decor without you having to put any work in whatsoever. However, you can elevate this by turning them into a ‘light’. 

1. Clean the bottle thoroughly, using soap and hot water to remove the label (if desired). 
2. Purchase battery-powered fairy lights with a small lead, place them gently into the bottle or wrap them around the exterior.

Cork Magnets 

Even though it is widely recyclable, Cork products such as Wine Corks are often thrown away after a single use. When sent to landfill sites, they can take upwards of 10 years to decompose thoroughly. To avoid this, you should try to incorporate cork into your craft projects. For example, you could create simple cork magnets to keep your kitchen space more organised! 

1. Clean and dry the cork, especially if it is somewhat stained in appearance.
2. Carefully slice the cork in half using a sharp knife. 
3. Using glue, gently press a magnet onto the ‘flat’ side of the Cork. Alternatively, you could use stick-on magnets, which are available to purchase online.
4. Decorate as desired and display. 

Cork Coaster & Placemats

Cork Coasters and Placemats are another excellent way to repurpose your old cork and will be an excellent point of conversation at your next dinner party. Furthermore, they’re great for those whose design choices are considered ‘rustic’ or vintage. 

1. Decide ahead of time home many placemats you would like to make so that you are able to collect and save them accordingly. 
2. If desired, cut and shape your corks into different shapes.
3. Before grabbing your glue gun, experiment with a few different shapes and styles to figure out which you prefer. For example, would you like to create edgy, rounded placemats or more uniform, square ones?
4. Using a hot glue gun, glue the corks together one at a time, pressing them gently to avoid tearing or damage. Leave to dry and display. 

Time to get some supplies in! 

As you can see, there are various different art projects that you can carry out using wine bottles and corks - many of which we couldn’t fit into this list! For example, you could also turn wine bottles into statement centrepieces or even candle holders, and cork products can be used to create dynamic, textured artwork. You simply need to let your imagination run wild (and away from the landfill) so that you are able to repurpose these products in a fun way. 

If you’d like these ‘craft supplies’ delivered directly to your door - why not sign up for our Wine Club? This is a great way to broaden your horizons when it comes to wine, whether you consider yourself to be something of a sommelier or simply want to impress your guests at your next dinner party. Every 12 weeks, you will receive 12 unique bottles of wine (straight from the vineyards) delivered to your home. This means you have 12 chances to find a new favourite drink and 12 changes to try out a new art project!

Get in touch today to find out more!