Behind the Maker: The Eperara Siapidara by PET Lamp

The PET Lamp Eperara Siapidara collection is the result of a powerful intersection between environmental consciousness, traditional craftsmanship, and cultural resilience.

"This project began with a simple, urgent question for the team at PET Lamp: What if we could transform one of the world’s most widespread waste problems into something meaningful, beautiful, and lasting?"

Each day, nearly 100 million plastic PET bottles are used—yet only about 20% are ever recycled. The rest accumulate in landfills, pollute our oceans, and threaten ecosystems. PET Lamp addresses this crisis by giving plastic bottles a second life, turning them into stunning handmade lighting pieces woven by skilled artisans.

In 2012, the PET Lamp team traveled to Colombia to begin their first collaboration. With the help of Artesanías de Colombia, an organization committed to preserving Colombian craft traditions, they partnered with two Indigenous groups from the Cauca region: the Eperara Siapidara and the Guambianos. These communities, displaced by guerrilla conflict and resettled in Bogotá, brought with them rich traditions of weaving that had long been rooted in their ancestral land.

At the heart of the Eperara Siapidara collection is the Paja Tetera, a palm native to western Colombia. The artisans harvest and strip its long, wide leaves, then dye them using vibrant natural pigments derived from plants and minerals. These colored strands are intricately plaited together with thin strips of recycled PET plastic bottles, using wooden molds as the framework.

The process is labor-intensive and deeply intentional. Artisans of all ages participate, weaving pre-Hispanic motifs and contemporary interpretations into the shades. Each lamp is a unique creation—its design shaped by the weaver’s intuition, memories, and cultural symbols. No two are alike.

Beyond aesthetics, this collaboration plays a vital social role. Weaving is more than a craft; it’s a cultural anchor that reinforces family bonds and community identity. Through this project, the artisans reclaim a sense of agency, preserve ancestral knowledge, and gain access to new economic opportunities—while simultaneously contributing to a global solution.

The Eperara Siapidara collection is more than design—it’s a reflection of Colombia’s complex beauty. A land shaped by Indigenous traditions, African and European influences, and extraordinary geographic diversity, from the Amazon rainforest to the Andes mountains.

Each PET Lamp stands as a testament to this legacy. It carries with it the stories of displacement and survival, the vibrancy of native craft, and a vision for sustainable, ethical design.