Fibre Artist Turns Ocean Plastic Waste Into Stunning Eco-Friendly Sculptures, Macrame & Handmade Baskets

Janis Ledwell-Hunt, a fibre artist from Vancouver Island, has a pretty amazing way of turning trash into treasure. She takes discarded ropes, ocean plastics, and random marine debris and transforms them into giant macramé sculptures that are both stunning and thought-provoking.

What started about eight years ago as just a fun little macramé hobby ended up changing her whole life. Janis left her regular job and even launched her own fibre art supply business. Now, she spends her days creating sustainable art that blurs the line between craft and fine art.

Her real passion? Knots. She sees them as more than just craft techniques. To her, knots are like a language and a sculpture at the same time. They’re strong, secure, and almost stubborn in how they hold together. That unique quality makes knots the perfect base for recycled art and eco-friendly sculptures.

In her own words: “Knots don’t need to pass through another material in order to hold their shape—they hold themselves. They’re structures in their own right. And because of that, turning macramé into sculpture feels like the most natural extension.”

Through her work, Janis isn’t just creating handmade decor. She’s also shining a light on marine pollution and showing how recycled materials can be turned into something beautiful.

More info: Instagram | Threads | JanisLedwellHunt | UnfetteredSupply

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Ledwell-Hunt’s choice of materials is just as bold as her vision. She goes out to local shores and rescues ropes, fishing lines, and ocean plastics that usually get left behind to pollute the water. Then, with a lot of patience, she untangles all that mess and turns it into workable strands for her sculptures.

It’s not easy—these plastics are tough, stubborn, and sometimes even dangerous to handle. But for her, that’s part of the challenge. She says what drives her is the idea of taking a material that’s harmful to nature and flipping the script—using it for art instead of destruction.

Each piece she makes isn’t just about beauty. It’s also a powerful reminder of ocean conservation and the urgent need for sustainable living. What once was waste and a threat to marine life becomes eco-friendly art, upcycled home decor, and a thought-provoking statement about the world we live in.

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A lot of Janis Ledwell-Hunt’s inspiration comes from women who paved the way in fibre art. She also pulls ideas from nature itself—like the themes of transformation and regeneration you see in both ecology and art history.

Her creative process isn’t rushed. It’s slow, detailed, and intentional. She spends time sketching, planning, and really thinking through every design before a single knot is tied. And she doesn’t work alone—her partner, who’s a welder and fabricator, plays a big role too. He builds custom metal frames that act as the foundation for her sculptures, giving her the freedom to layer on those intricate knots that define her eco-conscious art.

Each piece becomes this mix of sustainable design, handmade craftsmanship, and creative collaboration. It’s more than just fibre art—it’s a statement about green living and how beauty can rise out of regeneration.

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Janis Ledwell-Hunt’s work is proof that art can be both creative and conscious. Her sculptures show off not just skill and craftsmanship, but also a deep respect for the environment. She takes materials most people overlook—like ropes, plastics, and ocean debris—and turns them into something extraordinary.

Her art is more than decoration. It’s sustainable art, a mix of handmade beauty and eco-friendly design that inspires people to rethink waste, green living, and how recycled materials can carry new life.