Style + Art + Earth >> Anthropologie's Cork Displays

Back in March, I posted (and/or confessed) about my ritual of going to the local Anthropologie and staring at the window display for inspiration when I'm stuck in a creative funk. It may seem a little silly, but their displays really are among the most innovative and visually stunning out there, and it's almost impossible not to feel inspired by them.

This month, my mini getaways in search of creative inspiration were taken to whole new level, when I learned of a project that Anthro was participating in with the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance.  In an effort to increase awareness and promote the preservation of the Mediterranean cork forests (one of the planet’s most important ecosystems), the CFCA donated 2.5 million corks to Anthropologie, who used them to design and create truly gorgeous, one-of-a-kind recycled art in their shop windows.  As a sustainable designer, I was really touched by the concept of this project, and genuinely impressed with the beauty and inventiveness of the compositions.

Once the current displays are dismantled, CFCA will recollect them to distribute to other businesses and organizations to be repurposed once again.  To find out more about the CFCA or make a donation toward future projects, you can visit their website here.

I really am beyond inspired by this project, and now I'm scheming on an idea for something amazing to create from discarded corks!

Have any of you seen the cork displays in your local Anthropologie shops this month?

Images via Anthropologie.