Instead of Buying Craft Supplies Online, a San Francisco Teacher Punches Sparkling Sequins Directly Out of Discarded Trash
When San Francisco high school physics teacher Kaitlyn Kraybill-Voth needed a specific shade of shiny metallic green for an embroidery project, she instinctively opened Amazon. Before hitting checkout on a mass-produced plastic pack, she stopped herself and looked in her recycling bin instead, punching custom trash sequins out of an empty green LaCroix can with jewelry tools.
The 31-year-old artist and educator transformed that split-second pivot into a full-scale creative movement. Instead of ordering factory materials, she sources shimmering textures directly from discarded household packaging, soda cans, and even expired plastic cards to construct intricate textile art depicting wildlife and flora.
Her approach challenges conventional crafting culture by turning everyday consumer waste into elaborate, slow-stitched tapestry details.
Kaitlyn Kraybill-Voth, Trash sequin tiktok art
The Anatomy of Turning Discarded Packaging Into Fine Art
Most commercial craft sequins are made from virgin polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyester film, designed for rapid single-use consumption. The common misconception is that upcycling trash for delicate fiber crafts produces rough, unmanageable results or requires toxic scavenging.
In reality, Kraybill-Voth avoids rooting through dumpsters by conducting structured color audits inside her own kitchen pantry before items reach the curb.
“I try not to buy extra materials to make trash with because that kind of takes away the purpose of reusing what you already have.”
She analyzes discarded containers by surface pigment first, followed by structural texture. Cereal boxes, snack wrappers, and aluminum beverage containers provide diverse finishes that mimic expensive metallic beads.
How the Punching Process Works
Crafting durable, sewable embellishments out of discarded domestic materials requires precise jewelry hardware rather than standard office tools:
- Metal prep: When slicing into rigid aluminum cans, she utilizes metal shears to flatten sheets safely before punching.
- Outer diameter punch: A standard 1.4-inch hole punch cuts the circular perimeter of the sequin.
- Center hole punch: A micro 1.25-millimeter jewelry punch creates the central opening required for embroidery thread.
- Specialty dies: For thicker aluminum, she relies on punches engineered specifically for sheet metal to ensure clean cuts.
Kaitlyn Kraybill-Voth, Trash sequin tiktok art
Safety is a frequent concern raised by followers across Instagram and TikTok who worry about sharp metal slices. The mechanical compression of the punch die naturally dulls the outer circumference of aluminum sequins, making them safe to handle during complex beadwork.
From Expired Credit Cards to Shrinkable Plastics
As the technique evolved, Kraybill-Voth expanded beyond beverage cans to tackle heavier synthetic pollutants. Old credit cards provide dense, colorful plastic disks that create distinct raised textures against embroidery fabric.
| Discarded Material | Artistic Application |
|---|---|
| Aluminum beverage cans | Reflective, metallic sequins cut via shears and punches |
| Food boxes and snack wrappers | Lightweight, colorful surface embellishments |
| Expired credit cards | Rigid, high-contrast circular accents |
| Number six plastic bottles | Heat-shrunk components functioning like DIY craft charms |
She also discovered that discarded bottles made from number six plastic react to heat, allowing her to produce custom, miniature shrunk elements embedded into botanical and animal embroidery scenes.
Kaitlyn Kraybill-Voth, Trash sequin tiktok art
Connecting Physics Classrooms to Conscious Creation
Inside her San Francisco classroom, Kraybill-Voth bridges physical science with visual problem-solving. While high schoolers might not obsess over embroidery, she integrates artistic modalities into her physics curriculum so students can demonstrate technical concepts visually.
“To make something by hand in a stage of late capitalism which rushes to accelerate and extract, especially something slow, intricate and intentionally crafted from discarded trash materials, is to push back against a world driven by speed, mass production, disposability and profit.”
By transforming post-consumer refuse into detailed portrayals of living ecosystems, she frames upcycled needlework as an intentional, tactile statement on waste reduction.
✨ Rethinking everyday packaging transforms ordinary household waste into endless creative inventory.
📱 Sustainable making proves you rarely need high-priced retail kits to produce striking, professional-grade craftwork.
💬 Would you turn your own pantry packaging into wearable art? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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