salome maarek uses israeli stone to make sustainable tinted glass

Jerusalem-based designer Salome Maarek transforms local stones from different regions of Israel into naturally colored glass pieces for her recent works. ‘From Stones to Glass’ epitomises sustainability and natural beauty. Throughout the project, the designer ensured that the life cycle of each final glass piece is sustainable, and that the embodied energy is kept to a minimum. From gathering the rocks, to analysing and processing them, to then finally refining the glass, the entire process was carefully planned to have as little environmental impact as possible. The project, which took two years to complete, is now available for use as jewelry pieces or for industrial production.

Salome Mareek creates glass made of stone

all images courtesy of Salome Maarek

At present, the methods of coloring glass are both toxic to use and unsustainable. Once tinted, the glass cannot be recycled as it is impossible to return it to its transparent state. With this project, Salome Maarek aims to tackle these issues. The designer first considered using fruits and vegetables to naturally tint the glass, however it was found that this would have harmful ecological impact due to their production. Thus with the aim of producing glass with the lowest possible carbon footprint, Maarek turns to natural local resources located in different regions in the country. From the Negev desert to the Eilat desert, Israel has a multitude of stone varieties, including potash, wood, copper, sand and clay, lending a diverse range of textures and colors for use.

Travel to these regions to obtain the stones was done either on foot or by bus, ensuring the carbon footprint was minimised. In search of natural materials to replace the toxic dye typically used to color glass, the Israeli stones were analysed by the designer alongside geologist Navot Morag to find suitable components. The stones were crushed with a machine to obtain powder which revealed a range of colors representing both the earth, and the Israeli natural landscape. Among these were green moldavite, turquoise blue, indigolite, amber-orange yellow tourmaline, and many others. To create the glass, silica, sodium bicarbonate, dolomite and borax were deposited in a container, and mixed with the obtained stone powder serving as natural dye. An artisanal method was used to melt the glass at a sustainable, lower temperature of around 1200°C for some hours. This made it difficult to hand-blow the glass, and as such Maarek opts for the mold-blown technique.

green moldavite dyed glass

The final products of ‘From Stone to Glass’, now available as jewelry products and for use in industrial production, have several notable characteristics. Shaping, sharpening, cutting, or even drilling this glass is a more durable alternative to Haute-Joaillerie, and it can also be used in the confection of moulds for jewelry. The glass is also a viable alternative to precious stones. Being recyclable, the glass can easily be remelted and repurposed again an infinite amount of times. They are also resistant to shocks up to 5 tons and can withstand temperature changes without cracking.

from the Negev desert to the Eilat desert, Israel has a multitude of stone varieties