Adventurous, curious, and entrepreneurial, Bryan was an American living in China. While eating lunch with single-use chopsticks, Bryan asked his dining companion the question that would ultimately lead to his founding of Chopstick Art: How many chopsticks are thrown away every year in China?

The answer is startling. Billions of single-use chopsticks are consumed annually. Even more shocking is the estimated 25 million trees and bamboo plants used yearly to make these chopsticks. In this waste, Bryan saw an opportunity to upcycle the discarded chopsticks into a line of home accessory products.

Chopstick Art, based in Portland, Oregon, collects post-use, single-use bamboo chopsticks from restaurants and sanitizes them at extremely high temperatures. They're then sorted, colored, and assembled into repurposed decor for your home. These exquisite designs pair Eastern aesthetics with Western conservationism to complement any decor.