Sarah Cihat hates waste. So much so that, for her thesis project at the Parsons School of Design in New York, she developed an ingenious plan to turn over-consumption into functional art. The Tennessee native combs through secondhand shops searching for dishware that can be redesigned, reglazed, and reused. When complete, silhouettes of shapes such as butterflies, skulls, and spiders are juxtaposed against the dishes' original artwork, and adorned with vivid colors such as plum, lime, and coral. The Rehabilitated Dishware line debuted in 2003, and since then it has made its way into cupboards and pantries worldwide. In a recent conversation, Cihat talked about her signature style and her love for revamping history.

You started the Rehabilitated Dishware line as a thesis project at the Parsons School of Design. How did it go from a thesis project to a business?
People were into it, and I got a good reaction whenever I showed it for my senior thesis. I had people who wanted to buy it, and I didn't even have a studio to produce in. So I made the decision to rent studio space and started producing as much as I could. But I also had to get a job that paid, so I was working freelance and making dishes whenever I could. It just kind of took off, and I was working solely for myself within a year.

A year after you first presented it? That's amazing!
Yeah, it's pretty good; it was exciting. And I was still doing a little bit of freelance here and there. I guess it was the right time for something that wasn't too obviously green, because some people don't realize the line is environmentally friendly until they learn about it. I guess I hit the market at the right time, and I just thought it was fun and it looked good, and was not terrible for the environment. It's such a waste-the dishes are fine; you can use most of the stuff. It just is really outdated, but that doesn't mean that it's something you need to throw out.

Was this idea more of an experiment, or did you start this project hoping that it would become a sustainable business?
It was totally an experiment. I'm a thrift-store shopper, and I was in and out of the stores often enough. I always passed these dishes, and I thought, I wonder if I can reglaze different ones, and then put them together all one same color, and they could be a little family-like a set again. I talked with my teachers, who didn't have an answer for me other than, "Just try it out." I figured out a process, and then I added designs to it, and by the time it was time for senior thesis, I decided that's what I wanted to do for my project. It worked out really well.

Where do you find the dishes? Where's the best place to shop?
I don't really have a favorite place. I'll travel out to Long Island and hit some of the thrift stores out there. I can get better prices and better selection. I'm from Tennessee originally, and every time I go visit my parents, if I'm driving, I'll go load up my car there, too. I just try to go anywhere and everywhere that I can. Anywhere that has stuff that I could possibly refire, I'll take it.

You use stencils for the designs and images?
Yeah, I draw them and cut them out, and they're reusable stencils.

What's the process like? How long does it take?
Well, including finding the stuff-which can be tedious-I don't really have a time setting for it. But I wash everything, plan what gets what where and what color, and apply the template, glaze the dish, remove the template, clean up the dish a little bit, and then fire it and hope all goes well when I put it in the kiln.

So is the resurfacing process green at all? Do you use nontoxic glazes?
All of the glaze is low-fire nontoxic, so it's safe.

Are all plates created equal? You said the process of choosing is tedious. How do you pick out a good dish?
I've just learned over time. I've figured out just by weight, and touch, and name brands, and the writing on the back. I'll know just through trial and error which pieces will work. It's difficult when you're firing something, because you never know what's going to happen, especially when I don't know a plate's original condition and its original process. Things will react badly regularly, but you just hope for the best.

Are you constantly thinking of new ideas and new designs?
There's always something to think about, different stuff to do. Whenever I get a dish that I haven't seen before, I'm excited. I'm always thinking what should be on a plate next, or what will be cool, or what will be a good shape, because not everything looks good.

Do you have a top seller?
The skull is the best seller, especially the past couple of years. They said no one could keep them in stock. The horse, which sells consistently, is my favorite, and then the girls sell pretty well, too.

Are you surprised that this concept took off in the upscale market?
I was excited. I thought it was awesome that people were so willing to try something that looked very different, because at the time there was nothing on the market that had silhouettes and was off-centered. Before then, everything was based on the center of the plate and kind of boring, and a lot of floral or just graphics around the edges. So I was excited that people wanted to see something different and that this is the plate that they probably wouldn't have in their house normally. A lot of my customers would never have had them to begin with, so that's really cool. So I just felt like I was lucky to have somehow thought of it.

How do you determine your price?
Just depending on how long it takes. It took me a while in the beginning. I priced myself way too low, and I couldn't keep up with production. Now I still can't keep up with production, but I have my prices at a place that I'm comfortable with, where I can make a living and have the kind of life that I want without them being overpriced. I can do other things that are going to be higher-end, but I don't feel comfortable raising prices every single year just because I can, because then it's going to make it less attainable for normal people like myself. I would hate it if I were only making something that I myself in typical circumstances wouldn't be able to buy. So I want it to be accessible. They're more expensive than something that you'd buy at a chain store, but the fact is that they're all one-of-a-kind, and I've touched every single piece, so no one else is going to have that one, which is really cool. They might have a turquoise plate with a skull on it, but it won't be the same plate and it won't be in the same placement either. I can't duplicate myself.

Have you gotten any odd requests from anyone?
Yeah, mostly animals. I've had a whale, a pig, a seahorse, a parrot, a bull's head. I had one guy who had an anniversary, and he wanted to give his boyfriend something. He wanted it to be three different things that could commemorate their time together. I managed to incorporate three different things in one motif, and put it on a dish for him, which was probably the most detailed thing that I'd ever done.

What magic power over the environment would you most like to have?
Right now, if it would rain in the southeast it would be really amazing, because all the farmers are struggling horribly where I'm from. That would be awesome if I could just make it rain somewhere-a good rain.

What eco-accomplishment are you most proud of?
My design would probably be it-the fact that it is ecological and not wasteful, but also doesn't seem to be ecological and doesn't seem to be recycled. What makes me the proudest is that it's not like, "Look at these recycled dishes." It's more like, "These are so cool-look at these."

Do you have an eco-sin that you're least proud of?
I have a car. I'd love to have a hybrid, but I can't afford one right now.

Whom would you choose to be your carpool buddy and why?
In the whole world? Oh, dear, I don't know. I don't like celebrities. If I could have carpool buddies, I'd drive a bus for Arcade Fire, or Radiohead, or the Talking Heads back in the '80s when they were still together. And they kind of are my carpool buddies-they sing in my car.

What's the one easy thing you do for the environment that you wish everyone else would do?
I don't believe in planned obsolescence. I don't believe in buying new stuff just for the sake of buying new things-I hate that. I don't like lots of crap and lots of stuff filling up your entire household. I think the easiest thing is to use what you already have or clean it. Don't throw it out and buy a new one, and just put it on the curb, because it doesn't just disappear. I think you can be a little bit more creative or a little bit smarter in your original choices and try not to give in to trends so much.

Related Resources

Related Articles As the Worm Turns- Tom Szaky The Comeback Car- Electric Car Advocate Chelsea Sexton Wool Gathering- Crispina Ffrench See All Related Articles

Related Eco Categories Transportation & Travel Science & Technology Top 10s How to Guides

Topics Gadgets & Products People Family Saving Money Alternative Energy

Tip of the Day Compost Your Jack-O'-Lantern Buy Antibiotic-Free Poultry See All Tips

Glossary Downcycling Daylighting High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter Softwood Heavy metals Full Glossary

Site Resources Directory Answers Quizzes