From the page: A PET bottle holds more value than it seems
Idea 7
Cut flower lamp
Cutting PET into petals and gently heating it is a technique that spread through creative reuse workshops in Brazil and around the world. The magic is in the material: PET softens at around 70 to 80 degrees, so a quick pass over heat makes the petals curl up on their own like real flowers — and the translucent plastic diffuses light, creating a soft glow.
What you need
- 2 to 3 transparent PET bottles, clean and label-free
- Fine scissors and permanent marker
- Electrical cord with socket and a low-power LED bulb (LED doesn't heat up — essential for safety)
- Heat source: a very hot hair dryer or a candle
- Hot glue or thin wire
- Glass paint or enamel for colorful details (optional)
How to make it
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1
Cut the bottoms off the bottles and draw petals on the sides with the marker, varying the sizes — big flowers at the base and smaller ones on top give depth when the light turns on.
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2
Cut out each flower and bring it near the heat for a few seconds: the plastic shrinks and curls the petals upward, imitating the natural drape of an open flower.
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3
Make a small hole in the center of each flower and stack three or four, from largest to smallest, securing with wire or a drop of hot glue — the layered fit creates volume.
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4
Attach the assembly to the LED bulb cord through the central hole, making sure nothing touches incandescent or halogen bulbs, which get too hot and deform the plastic.
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5
Turn it on and adjust the curvature of the petals with heat, if you want a more open or more closed shape.
Finishing touches
Paint the petal tips with glass paint for a colorful gradient when lit, or join several flowers into a string of lights for a hanging PET garden on the balcony.
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