2025 STEAM EXPO

The Judges Committee has awarded this submission Excellence in Upcycled Fashion

PROJECT SUMMARY

I made a chain out of soda tab cans (from the floor or given to me). It has two keychain rings to attach to pants with belt loops, and I added some keychains of my choice on it too. You can really use any keychains, or just keep it simple without them, you can also make it as short or as long as you'd like!

WHY?

Well, I really like silver, and I really like accessories, but I also like reusing stuff for a better purpose (rather than lying on the floor or in a waste dump). and it took me over 100 soda can tabs, most from the floor, so I'm proud of myself for helping clean up, even benefiting from it too. It's honestly a fashion statement, but super cool, I've worn it outside already a couple of times! (If my mom lets me...)

HOW?

Very easy! first, you 4-5 soda can tabs, if you find picking them up from the floor gross, just use can tabs from soda you drink or other drinks that use soda can tabs to be opened (the amount of soda you drink could effect how long it takes you to make it). you cut the top, smaller, weaker part in the middle, arrange 4-5, and when you get another one, slightly bend the cut top part and loop it in, and close back the bent metal (I've used my hands but to save yourself from pain, use pliers). And now, you keep doing that! reach a length you like, and add a keychain ring to be able to loop it into your belt loops, and you made it!

WHAT?

It worked a lot better than I thought, and when i finished it, I added the chains because it felt a little boring, so that was something fun to do, you test how color schemes look with each other. Also, this requires patience, free time, and lots of soda cans, Unless you asked your friend for some, which I did. I calculated or estimated how long it'd take to make, or find out how many can tabs I have. For example, i have more than 25 rows of 4 tabs looped, so I multiply the number of rows with 4 (since each row has four) and figured out: I had more than 100 soda can tabs on my chain!

20250509_185249 - Sofia Mc Daniel.mp4

SO WHAT?

Well, this matters because lots of the soda tabs i used would of stayed on the streets, wild animals could've eaten them, and died. Or it makes the place feel unsanitary, or unlikable to go to. It helps the environment, and the animals around it, and it benefits you, who have done something productive and got a cool additional flare to your outfit. It's a mutualistic relationship, where both you benefit, and so does the environment, if we can make cleaning fun, more people will clean up, pick up trash and help the dirty, polluted roads, beaches and rivers!

WHAT'S NEXT?

I would like to do chainmail armor, and I want to make attachable and detachable platforms made of crown caps (the caps beer bottles have). I' already starting the chainmail armor, i have the supplies for the crown cap platforms, but I need to start it. With similar ideals, i think they'll all look good together.

REFERENCES & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/785596728772868770/

this was the original pin I saw and got inspiration from, and then searched up other soda tab crafts and saw the chainmail, wanting to do the chainmail armor. If you can't access the link by copy pasting, just go on Pinterest and search ""pop tab chain"" then it'll show up. Also, Teachers, my friends, and even my parents' friends have help me gain more of the soda tabs for this project. Thank you to the steam teacher and the assistant who really helped me.

JUDGES FEEDBACK

This is an awesome combination of art, design, and fashion. You were able to reuse a common item and turn it into something with character and style. What next could you possibly make with these items or similar ones?

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