Soda Tab Jewelry: The Funky Repurposed Craft Trend with Staying Power

The Origins of Soda Tab Jewelry

Soda tab jewelry has become an increasingly popular jewelry trend in recent years. The practice of making jewelry out of recycled materials is nothing new. However, the specific use of flattened aluminum soda tabs to create funky and eclectic jewelry designs took off as a major craft trend in the 2010s.

The exact origins of soda tab jewelry are hard to pinpoint. However, the craft closely aligns with larger jewelry trends focused on repurposing and upcycling materials that would otherwise be discarded as waste. For eco-conscious jewelry makers, soda tabs provided the perfect lightweight and malleable material to create colorful accessory designs.

Why Soda Tabs Make Great Jewelry

Aluminum soda tabs have several inherent qualities that make them uniquely suited for jewelry making:

• Tabs are lightweight and comfortable to wear
• The aluminum material is easy to cut and bend into shapes
• Pull tabs come in a wide range of bright, eye-catching colors
• Tabs are small and easy to attach as embellishments or focal points
• Soda tab jewelry repurposes would-be recycling waste

Unlike many other upcycled materials like glass or metals, soda tabs do not require extensive equipment to reshape and incorporate into jewelry. With just a good pair of pliers, glue, and some jump rings or wire, used soda tabs can be transformed into colorful, playful earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and more.

Soda Tab Jewelry Tutorials Take Over Pinterest and YouTube

As soda tab jewelry gained traction through the 2010s, the emerging craft trend spread like wildfire through social media channels. Arts and craft influencers on YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram began sharing DIY tutorials and unique designs using recycled soda tabs.

The visual nature of channels like Pinterest and YouTube made it especially easy for at-home jewelry makers to find inspiration and pick up the techniques of working with soda tabs. Some popular early soda tab jewelry tutorial themes included:

• Multi-strand soda tab necklaces
• Soda tab charm bracelets
• Single soda tab earrings
• Soda tab rings with wire wraps
• Soda tab hair clips with ribbon

While the craft of repurposing materials was certainly nothing new, the way soda tab jewelry took off through digital media craft culture was a 21st century phenomenon. Makers could share and find inspiration like never before thanks to hashtag campaigns like #sodatabjewelry gaining momentum on visual platforms.

Contemporary Soda Tab Jewelry Trends

These days, sodatab jewelry remains a mainstay craft for jewelry hobbyists and eco-conscious designers alike. However, contemporary soda tab jewelry has evolved from the initial explosion of DIY wire wrap charm bracelets on Pinterest and YouTube.

Some notable ways the soda tab jewelry trend has matured in recent years includes:

More Sophisticated Techniques and Styles

While charm bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings made from wired soda tabs still hold strong, many designers are taking the craft to the next level. Weaving intricate multi-row bracelets, combining tabs with other materials like gemstones, and even melting tabs to cast custom jewelry pushes soda tab craft to new heights.

Soda Tab Jewelry for Sale Online

Etsy, jewelry boutiques, festival vendors, and other small businesses allow hobbyists to sell their sodatab designs to customers globally. No longer just a craft, sodatab jewelry has become an eco-friendly jewelry genre with many makers earning side income from home.

Repurposing Unusual Materials Alongside Tabs

Makers looking for new challenges have started incorporating additional recycled or repurposed materials into sodatab designs. Some examples include decoupaging images or tissue paper onto flattened tabs, adding hardware salvaged from broken electronics, or even incorporating discardedcircuit boards to complement the tabs.

Soda Tab Jewelry for Charity Fundraising

Some crafters have leveraged the DIY-friendly appeal of soda tab jewelry to host community jewelry making events. Participants make their own bracelets, necklaces or earrings from donated soda tabs with proceeds benefiting a cause. This helps spread crafting skills while raising money for non-profits.

The Future of Soda Tab Jewelry

Trends wax and wane, but sodatab jewelry seems poised for thelong haul within the handmade marketplace and jewelry community. As more makers discover innovative ways to transform trash into eye-catching wearable art, sodatab designs continue gaining legitimacy in the eco-conscious accessories space.

Additionally, the inherently shareable, digital-friendly appeal of soda tab jewelry bodes well for introducing more novice crafters to the creative possibilities of repurposed materials. While classics like charm bracelets retain their DIY-appeal, professional jewelers also incorporate tabs into higher-end art jewelry for modern fashionistas.

Ultimately, the sustainability and creativity at the heart of sodatab jewelry set the stage for this funky recycled craft trend to inspire even more innovative jewelry designs for years to come!

FAQs

Where do people get soda tabs for jewelry making?

Most hobbyists and jewelers source used soda tabs by saving their own aluminum can tabs over time. However, many makers also encourage family, friends, and community members to donate tabs they would otherwise recycle. Some businesses and schools even collect tabs specifically to support local jewelers.

What tools do I need to make soda tab jewelry?

Basic tools like pliers, wire cutters, jump rings, glue, and wire or beading cord provide plenty of options for handmaking sodatab designs. More advanced equipment like jeweler's shears, metal files, hole punches, and polishing wheels allow for precision metal shaping.

Can sodatab jewelry be harmful to wear?

Properly constructed soda tab jewelry using non-toxic adhesives poses minimal risk for skin irritation or metal leaching. However, people with metal allergies or sensitive skin should test cuffs or necklaces briefly before wearing for extended periods. Also properly coat tabs to prevent oxidation.

Is there a market for selling handmade soda tab jewelry?

Yes, many hobbyists successfully sell their repurposed sodatab designs on Etsy, at craft fairs, local boutiques, and more. Jewelry made from eco-conscious recycled materials appeals to sustainability-focused shoppers. Unique sodatab statement pieces also attract customers looking for unusual jewelry.

Can I make money by teaching others how to craft soda tab jewelry?

Absolutely! Many jewelry makers earn extra income teaching sodatab jewelry workshops in-person or selling video tutorials online. Teaching allows you to monetize your skills while spreading an eco-friendly craft to more people.