Coastal Caps was created by Ella Simon (Ashwood ’13) and Grace Kenney, students at Bennington College with a shared passion for art and the environment. Both women are very concerned about plastic pollution, and their idea for Coastal Caps emerged during first year studies helping to advocate for a plastic ban law in Vermont. Single use plastic bags are one of the most difficult materials to recycle, but Ella and Grace have created a new way to repurpose these bags into the brims of their unique, handmade caps.
Through the sales of Coastal Caps, Ella and Grace hope to reduce plastic waste while encouraging others to help ‘put a lid on plastic pollution.’ Their business was designed to grow in response to community interest and environmental needs. No two caps are alike, and designs vary based on currently available materials. Internal structure for the brim comes from many layers of repurposed plastic bags, which have been sourced from a local retailer’s bag-recycling bin or readily given by shoppers.
Ella is pursuing her passion for art while at Bennington, where she has also been influenced by CAPA (Center for the Advancement of Public Action) courses in food studies, community engagement, and environmental policy. Ella credits these courses with encouraging her to think about the sustainability aspect of her art work. With Coastal Caps, Ella and Grace have found a way to express their passion for art and environmental sustainability, all while doing their part to help curb plastic pollution.