Made in America: Alaskan company repurposes fishing line, rope into sustainable art
For the 13th year, "World News Tonight" spotlights businesses across the U.S. as part of its Made in America Christmas series.
In Sterling, Alaska, Alaska Rug Company is repurposing materials like discarded fishing lines and rope into sustainable, handcrafted eco-friendly art.
This gear can harm the ocean and marine life -- the company aims to keep it the beaches, out of the oceans and away from landfill.
One fisherman's trash is transformed into rugs, baskets, trivets, custom signs and more.
Alaska Rug Company makes more than 70 bowls a week, and has repurposed over 10 miles of used rope since the company began in 2010. Every one of their rugs is made out of at least 200 feet of rope, and their bowls require 40 to 200 feet depending on the size.
Maryland fathers, neighbors and restaurant industry workers Chris McCasland and Mike Opalski lost their jobs in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While spending more time at home than ever before, they realized they were tending to their bonfire more than enjoying it with their children. And so, they created a campfire in a can -- the world's first portable mini fire pit.
City Bonfires was born in McCasland's garage, and grew into a giant warehouse based in Maryland. The company employs 10 workers and makes 5,000 bonfires a day.
Over a million portable bonfires have been sold around the world, and the company has expanded to include s'mores kits in their shop.
Palm Springs, California, is known for its midcentury architecture, and these designs inspired Destination PSP to bring a little piece of it into everyone's home.
Midcentury tissue box covers feature clerestory windows, angled rooflines,and patterned concrete block designs. Handcrafted across Southern California, the Direct Edge team in Anaheim prints the boxes and the 20 workers employed in Palm Springs put them together, building over 1,000 tissue boxes a month.
"Our tissue box cover make great holiday gifts and conversation pieces," owner Jeffrey Bernstein said.
For those with little ones this holiday season, Bannor Toys based in Madrid, Iowa, keeps kids' fun and safety in mind.
Founded in 2011 by husband and wife Jesse and Stacey Bannor, they aim to offer a modern spin on the kind of wooden toys they found in their grandparents' house and maintain the old school charm.
Their journey began in a corner of their basement as a hobby, and the company now employs 12 workers. It has fulfilled 30,000 orders this year alone, all with organic paints, finishes and wood sourced from Michigan, Ohio, Maine, Texas and Illinois.
Check out the full list of companies featured on Made in America Christmas this year:
Oprah Winfrey's "Favorite Things" of 2024
Durant Vineyards and Olive Mill
Full episodes of "World News Tonight with David Muir" are now available to stream on YouTube.
