At Memories Factory, I am going to show you how we can upcycle discarded materials, or any old and/or memorable items that you will send me, into some beautiful, useful and unique products that I create exclusively for you. These upcycled items that I create will be displayed at my exhibition to raise awareness about upcycling and to give everyone an opportunity to recall their memories in today’s fast-paced world. Your support is key to ensure Memories Factory's success. Without your help, I will not be able to finish this project on my own.

If you wish to be a part of this upcycling initiative, please support me on FringeBacker by:

Back me for HK$50, $100, $350 or $550 if you simply wish to support me. There will be different rewards for you for each level. OR

Back me for HK$1,000 or $2,000, and send me something that you wish to be upcycled. I will create an exclusive item for you and the item will be displayed at my exhibition before delivering it to you.

Let's Upcycle now, and build our “Memories Factory”! 

Welcome to the Memories Factory Project

Don’t just recycle – even Hermes is having fun with its discarded and excess materials from the workshop.  Its artists have created a Petit h collection by re-creating discarded objects into a series of one-of-a-kind handcrafted accessories and toys, ranging from doorstops made from leather and pebbles to a life-size panda bear made from leftover calfskin leather.  This is a new trend now sweeping the world in how to live an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.  So how about having your own upcycled collection and give your materials a second chance through their re-invention?  

You will now have the opportunity.  Glittering Nong, a Hong Kong’s upcycling designer established by Agnes Nong, introduces its Memories Factory project to create beautiful new life from your discarded objects.  Comes share with me to recycle.  Send me what you don't need any more.  I will re-purpose it and upcycle it into something unique and beautiful that is ready for a new life and new usage.  In doing this, my Memories Factory draws upon three essential ingredients: your memories + your own story + my creativity.  

Why not Recyle?  Why Upcycle?  Why Memories Factory?

Why recycle if you can upcycle?

REcycling is good, but it requires energy and resources to collect, sort and process the unwanted items and waste.  UPcycling is a better and greener way -- you can find a new purpose for your unwanted items.

At Glittering Nong, we help you to UPCYCLE, and take on a new way of thinking about waste management. 

We in Hong Kong are one of the most wasteful people in the world -- each day, we send 13,000 tons of waste to our landfills.  But recycling is not the answer, because recycling is actually DOWNcycling.  Recycling converts old materials into new materials of LESSER quality.  The environmental problem will not go away -- it is merely postponed. 

Instead, what I do is I help you to UPcycle, to give your materials or objects a second chance, reinvent form or use, and to bring a new life emerging from the alchemy of material and artistic intuition.  Creativity is fun and I love designing for upcycling, because it is much more demanding and challenging than recycling.  Upcycling is the opposite of downcycling.  This means that I convert your discarded materials into beautiful new products of BETTER QUALITY and HIGHER environmental value, revolutionising the way that you see and manage environmental waste.  Upcycling prevents wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones.  This reduces the consumption of new raw materials when creating new products; in doing so, energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and greenhouse gas emission are all reduced.

At Memories Factory, we consider ourselves connected with nature.  We take ownership of our environment and we are always giving thought to how we can improve it.  This Memories Factory project is a story about uniqueness where your story meets my creativity. It is a project that Glittering Nong has been longing to do.  Upcycling your old stuff with my creativity and your story repurposes your old product and transfers it into an unique piece of handmade product.  Your support is key to ensure Memories Factory's success. Without your help, I will not be able to finish this project on my own.

So, with all the waste problems we face, you question yourself: how do I play a meaningful part in helping to reduce the waste?  Do you have something at home that is no longer valuable or meaningful for you, or which you want to throw away for a long time?  If yes, Glittering Nong's Memories Factory project gives you the opportunity to send it to me to upcycle.  You will directly play your part in saving the environment, while at the same time you are creating your own story and your own memories.

Even if you don't have something to send to me to upcycle right now, you can still support my Memories Factory by backing me.  I will personally thank everyone of you who takes part in supporting me in this upcycling project.  
What do you think?  No need to think twice.  It is brilliant.  Not only are you doing the world good, but you are also the owner of a limited edition piece by Agnes.

Why Glittering Nong?

After I finished my higher diploma in Product Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2007, I continued to explore a variety of designs. It was then that I discovered that designs were not making our lives any easier. Instead, they exposed us to numerous social problems, including waste issues.

Glittering Nong was where I started upcycling discarded leather to play my part in saving the world. I am trying, by making new upcycled designs, to influence myself, people around me and even the entire society. Making new designs with limited resources is always challenging, every piece of discarded leather is different yet they would be upgraded by my imagination and creativity, as I always believe in limited resources but limitless creativity.  

Glittering Nong was founded in September 2010 when I was given an opportunity to attend the “Carpet, Banner and Leather – Experiments in Upcycling Design” Exhibition organised by Hong Kong Institute of Contemporary Culture.  At this exhibition, I came into contact with discarded leather and had my first upcycled product finished.  After that, I was convinced that I had found my mission, and I then drove my energy and imagination towards designing for upcycling.

In November 2010, I launched my upcycling design debut. Without mass production, and without using “new” material, I use my heart to make new designs with discarded leather.

In July 2011, Glittering Nong joined the Discover Design organized by Hong Kong Design Centre, which targeted senior secondary students. I was excited to have been able to conduct my first educational workshop there, and taught students how to upcycle creatively and turn plastic bottles into a lamp.

In December of the same year, Glittering Nong held a workshop at Green Carnival organized by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.  At that workshop, I shared my views with the staff of the Hong Kong Jockey Club on how not to waste their used banners and also upcycled those banners into purses with them.

These programmes have instilled and reinforced my passion in upcycling, and the way that I want to spread the message of saving the environment through upcycling. Right now, I am in my final year of my Art and Design in Education degree programme at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, while simultaneously expressing my designs as a freelance designer.  Come and support me, let me "Glitter your life with good design".

How does Memories Factory work?

At Memories Factory, I am going to collect your old things and listen to your story behind it. Through upgrading your old things and your story with Glittering Nong’s creativity, my handmade designs will give rise to the uniqueness of these upcycled products, which cannot be massively produced. These upcycled products will be displayed in my exhibition, in which can raise everyone’s awareness and give an opportunity for them to recall their memories in today’s fast paced world. 

If you wish to participate in this upcycling project, please give me your support.  Please send me your old things for me to design a new and beautiful upcycled product for you.  Or please just simply back me with your support. Your help in funding this project is greatly appreciated. Your generous backing will be used exclusively for this project.  I will regularly update my project page here on FringeBacker to let you know how the funds are used, as well as the progress as I proceed.  If you have questions, you are free to ask me anytime, and I will respond promptly.  Your questions are important, because you are a part of this upcycling initiative, just as much as it is my aspiration to make this a success and a model to show everyone.

Examples

Raw materials like medals you got when you were young can be upcycled into a beautiful clock.

Timeline

Exhibition

An exhibition will be held as the ultimate goal of this Memories Factory project.  All custom-designed upcycled products will be displayed at the exhibition, and they will be delivered as rewards to the people who supported me after the exhibition.

The venue will depend upon the number of items that you send to me to design and upcycle, as well as one their size.  So I will update you through FRINGEBACKER as soon as I know how many of you send me things to design and upcycle.  Depending on the size needs, I propose that the venue will be Hong Kong Arts Centre, 牛棚, JCCAC, K-11, 藍屋生活館, etc.

Funding Goal

The funding goal, which I set as HK$20,000, will be used exclusively on this Memories Factory project in a variety of areas, which will include the cost of buying the necessary materials to finish the rewards and other custom-designed pieces, the cost of delivering the pieces to my backers, and the cost of holding an exhibition.  The funding period will last for 60 days.

I need your help to make this happen. The funding goes towards getting the unique products designed, upcycled and finished, and finally having the exhibition held. For a small backing of HK$50 or more, you will be walking the walk! You will get your very own piece of unique product as a reward, AND my thank you for helping reduce the waste and save the environment.

So please back this Memories Factory project now, and spread the word of upcycling!

Rewards

Level 1: Back HK$50

A creative postcard upcycled from old newspapers.　

Est. Delivery: Dec 2012

Level 2: Back HK$100 (International delivery +HK$50)

A beautiful leather bookmark upcycled from discarded leather, and engraved with the backer's name.

Est. Delivery: Dec 2012

Level 3: Back HK$350 (International delivery +HK$50)

A wonderful necklace upcycled from old wood sticks.

Est. Delivery: Dec 2012

Level 4: Back HK$550 (International delivery +HK$50)

A homely lamp painted in backer’s favourite colour upcycled from plastic bottles and paint.

Est. Delivery: Dec 2012

Level 5: Back HK$1,000

Custom-upgraded reward made from an old item (up to A4 size) that you send to me with your own story.  I will deliver the custom-upgraded product to you after the exhibition.

Est. Delivery: Apr 2013

Level 6: Back HK$2,000

Custom-upgraded reward made from an old item (size up to 1 cubic metre) that you send to me with your own story.  I will deliver the custom-upgraded product to you after the exhibition.

Est. Delivery: Apr 2013

IMPORTANT FOR ALL BACKERS: After you have backed me, I will be in contact with each of you individually to make sure if you have any old things to give me.  If YES, we have to come up with a location where I can pick your old things up and share your story in person.