Kreativno staklo Srbije

Creative Glass Serbia

Kreativno staklo Srbije

Creative Glass Serbia

Pernille Bülow:
The optimism and strength of conquering a new material

Sky lampa; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Sky lamp; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

Pernille Bülow: The optimism and strength of conquering a new material

Sky lamp; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

Pernille Bülow is rapidly emerging as a leading star of circular glassmaking. In her two studios on the Danish island of Bornholm, she recycles up to 200 tonnes of glass every year. Although she still works with new, traditional glass – the material with which she launched her practice back in 1989 – she makes an entire line of her products, called ReUse, from recycled borosilicate test tubes. These tubes come from Novo Nordisk, the major Danish pharmaceutical company, where they are discarded for various reasons before ever reaching the production of insulin injections. Some are unsterilised, some are imperfectly made or broken, while others are simply surplus stock that cannot be returned to the manufacturer. The demand for the ReUse products has grown so significantly that the line has evolved into a standalone brand of its own: Bülow_Re:use.

Our Bülow Re:use collection has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm. Customers respond very positively to the story behind the products – the transformation of discarded pharmaceutical glass into something both functional and beautiful. Its strongly resonates with today's growing awareness of sustainability. In fact, we experience that the demand for Bülow Re:use products often exceeds the demand for items made from new, non-recycled glass.

– Rosanna Julie Svensson, brand manager Re:use, for Creative Glass Serbia, 2025

It all began with Danish regulations that require Novo Nordisk to recycle all its waste, including glass. Even for a company of this scale, the process is demanding and costly, so in 2018 they came up with an idea to invite Pernille Bülow and ask whether she could turn their glass waste into something new. They already knew her work since they had purchased one of her vases as a Christmas gift for their employees back in 2000, and another in 2014. When the proposal came, Pernille embraced the challenge. They agreed that she would create a product of her own choice, or rather whatever was realistically achievable, once again as a Christmas gift for the company’s staff.
Lampa ReUse, prvi uspešan proizvod od recikliranih borosilikatnih epruveta; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
ReUse lamp, the first successful product made from recycled borosilicate test tubes; designed and crafted by Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S
It all began with Danish regulations that require Novo Nordisk to recycle all its waste, including glass. Even for a company of this scale, the process is demanding and costly, so in 2018 they came up with an idea to invite Pernille Bülow and ask whether she could turn their glass waste into something new. They already knew her work since they had purchased one of her vases as a Christmas gift for their employees back in 2000, and another in 2014. When the proposal came, Pernille embraced the challenge. They agreed that she would create a product of her own choice, or rather whatever was realistically achievable, once again as a Christmas gift for the company’s staff.
Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

Conquering a new material

Pernille had to master an entirely new technological process of crushing and melting borosilicate test tubes into a workable material. After a series of experiments, she realised that the glass shards should be neither too fine, as that taints the glass, nor too large – they had to be of a very specific size. She bought a garden compost shredder from a local shop and used it get the desirable cullet. Yet every melting attempt yielded the same result – glass filled with air bubbles. Instead of seeing this as a flaw, she accepted it as an inherent characteristic of her new material and turned it into a source of inspiration. The outcome was a pendant lamp shaped like a bubble – the first iconic product of her new journey.

Once she had mastered the material and developed the product, Novo Nordisk delivered tonnes of test tubes – the company has a large workforce and it needed 16,500 corporate gifts. With that quantity of glass, the garden compost shredder was no longer a viable solution. Pernille turned to Bornholms Elektromotor, and together they built a machine capable of crushing tonnes of glass to the exact required size. The next step was to acquire new furnaces, as the existing ones could not melt such large volumes of material. The work took ten months, during which the team operated three furnaces simultaneously. When the lamps were finally delivered in November 2019 – six trucks transported 195 pallets of lamps – Novo Nordisk was thrilled, and the collaboration continued. It was a huge success for Pernille and her exhausted, but triumphant, team.

A glass art studio recycles all the glass waste of a multinational pharmaceutical company

Since then, Pernille Bülow’s studio has been recycling all of Novo Nordisk’s glass waste, transforming it into beautifully crafted products. Before the ReUse collection officially launched in spring 2023, the team experimented with items made from flat glass – such as tabletops, bathroom tiles and roofing shingles – simply because it would be impossible to hand-blow all those tonnes of glass. During this process, Pernille noticed a growing interest among architects and builders in recycled glass products – from insulation materials to roofing and façade elements – and she now sees this as an exciting new business opportunity.

There is certainly a paradigm shift when the builders start to demand sustainable building materials based on recycled material. This is going to be big, and I think that within a couple of years we will be able to increase revenue by 30 percent. Of course, it will also create new jobs.

– Pernille Bülow, for Erhvervsstyrelsen, 2023

Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

There is certainly a paradigm shift when the builders start to demand sustainable building materials based on recycled material. This is going to be big, and I think that within a couple of years we will be able to increase revenue by 30 percent. Of course, it will also create new jobs.

– Pernille Bülow, for Erhvervsstyrelsen, 2023

The studio also had to undergo a phase of technological transformation in order to increase its energy efficiency when producing large volumes of glass. With the introduction of new furnaces – which no longer need to run continuously – the studio now emits up to 65% less CO₂ per kilogram of glass produced, a reduction that becomes especially significant at high production levels. The number of employees has also grown, almost tripling, so the studio today counts around 30 people.

Pernille’s open studio is located in Svaneke, on the eastern coast of Bornholm. In this small town of around one thousand inhabitants, the studio sits within the cultural centre Glastorvet (Glass Square) and is considered one of Bornholm’s major tourist attractions. Visitors can watch the glassmaking process, take part in selected activities, and explore the gallery showcasing the entire Handmade collection – a full display of Pernille’s hand-crafted glass pieces. Her second studio is situated in Nexø, around ten kilometres south of Svaneke, where the working atmosphere is much quieter and more focused.

All these adjustments made to accommodate the collaboration with Novo Nordisk came as a major surprise to Pernille. She had always believed that a small studio like hers could never work on equal terms with such a large corporation. Now, however, she is thrilled by the potential of the material they continue to provide in abundance, as well as by the improved working conditions within her studios.

Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

All these adjustments made to accommodate the collaboration with Novo Nordisk came as a major surprise to Pernille. She had always believed that a small studio like hers could never work on equal terms with such a large corporation. Now, however, she is thrilled by the potential of the material they continue to provide in abundance, as well as by the improved working conditions within her studios.

The ReUse Collection

The concept of programmatic, not only technical cooperation with Novo Nordisk was officially launched in spring 2023 with the debut of the ReUse collection. It features glasses, bowls, vases, lamps and jars, all crafted from recycled borosilicate waste glass. This unusual material produces glass speckled with tiny bubbles, heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe. Demand has been strong, and the waiting list for ReUse products is long. Because customers love the story of clever waste reuse and hand-crafted glass, Pernille continually expands the collection with new designs.

The uniqueness of the material and the narrative of circularity make the collection highly attractive, not only as glassware, but also as a statement of responsible consumption. In our view, the market for recycled glassware is only growing, as both private consumers and professional buyers increasingly look for products that combine design, quality, and sustainability.

– Rosanna Julie Svensson, brand manager Re:use, for Creative Glass Serbia, 2025

Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

The uniqueness of the material and the narrative of circularity make the collection highly attractive, not only as glassware, but also as a statement of responsible consumption. In our view, the market for recycled glassware is only growing, as both private consumers and professional buyers increasingly look for products that combine design, quality, and sustainability.

– Rosanna Julie Svensson, brand manager Re:use, for Creative Glass Serbia, 2025

Work on ReUse products for architecture and construction is also ongoing, which is no easy task for an artisan studio. Entering an entirely new industry requires extensive learning and building relationships with professionals who can help understand what kind of product is needed and how to develop it to be ready for practical, large-scale use. To navigate this process, Pernille has partnered with the right experts who assist with testing and industrial verification of her new products.

When it comes to architecture and construction, the design of recycled glass products presents both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, recycled glass has an intrinsic aesthetic quality that appeals to architects and designers. On the other hand, entering the building industry requires strict documentation and compliance with technical standards. This cannot be achieved through design alone – it demands collaboration with engineers and significant investment in research and development. That is precisely why we have established very good partnerships, who support us in testing, verifying, and documenting the environmental and structural performance of our products.

– Rosanna Julie Svensson, brand manager Re:use, for Creative Glass Serbia, 2025

The main focus moving forward will be on flat products. Made from recycled borosilicate glass, ReUse wall tiles and tabletops are highly attractive and already in strong demand. The greatest challenge now lies in establishing the technical, technological and organisational processes needed to support large-scale production, as well as new B2B products. Once achieved, this will offer a powerful solution for drastically reducing glass waste, while providing architects and interior designers with new high-quality elements for buildings and interiors.

Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S
The main focus moving forward will be on flat products. Made from recycled borosilicate glass, ReUse wall tiles and tabletops are highly attractive and already in strong demand. The greatest challenge now lies in establishing the technical, technological and organisational processes needed to support large-scale production, as well as new B2B products. Once achieved, this will offer a powerful solution for drastically reducing glass waste, while providing architects and interior designers with new high-quality elements for buildings and interiors.

Our ambition is to scale the tile production significantly. While the Bülow Re:use glassware collection already recycles a portion of the available borosilicate glass, the volumes are relatively small compared to what is available on the market. By developing B2B products for the construction industry – such as glass tiles and tabletops – we can absorb much larger amounts of recycled glass. In the coming years, we aim to direct the majority of the glass we recycle into this sector, as it offers the scale necessary to make a real environmental impact while also meeting a clear and growing market demand.

– Rosanna Julie Svensson, brand manager Re:use, for Creative Glass Serbia, 2025

Even before the ReUse collection, Pernille was committed to recycling. All glass scraps in her studio – leftover pieces, flawed products – have always been collected, sorted by colour, crushed, remelted and reshaped into new objects. The current collection of such pieces includes three unique items: the small bowl Seed, drinking glasses Finger, and the lamp Sky. In this way, nothing of the glass is ever wasted.

Solidarity with glass artisans around the world

Despite the great success of her collaboration with Novo Nordisk, which has clearly opened up significant development opportunities for her studio and company, Pernille Bülow continues to nurture her longstanding way of life, dedicated to glass art and supporting the local community. On Bornholm, the “island of tranquillity, art and good taste” and one of Denmark’s top tourist destinations, she runs another space – Pernille Bülow By You – in Svaneke all year round, and opens glass shops in three additional locations during the summer. She is highly active within the island community, organising Christmas and summer fairs celebrating traditional food and crafts, donating glass when needed, and working with schoolchildren.

Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow || fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S

Despite the great success of her collaboration with Novo Nordisk, which has clearly opened up significant development opportunities for her studio and company, Pernille Bülow continues to nurture her longstanding way of life, dedicated to glass art and supporting the local community. On Bornholm, the “island of tranquillity, art and good taste” and one of Denmark’s top tourist destinations, she runs another space – Pernille Bülow By You – in Svaneke all year round, and opens glass shops in three additional locations during the summer. She is highly active within the island community, organising Christmas and summer fairs celebrating traditional food and crafts, donating glass when needed, and working with schoolchildren.

The Pernille Bülow By You brand promotes glassmaking through workshops teaching simple glass techniques, and selling glass products designed by Pernille but produced in other countries for various, often charitable, reasons. Among the most popular items are bracelets, necklaces and earrings made from glass beads, handcrafted in Ghana. All the proceeds from these sales go to the women who make them.
Deo kolekcije ReUse; dizajn i izrada: Pernille Bülow II fotografija: ljubaznošću Pernille Bülow A/S
Part of the collection ReUse; design and production: Pernille Bülow || Photo: courtesy of Pernille Bülow A/S
Pernille Bülow has built her business with intelligence, integrity and dedication, establishing herself as a true star of circular glassmaking. In just a few years, she has mastered a new material, fulfilled enormous orders, modernised her studio, expanded her team, and created one of the most striking collections in the world of environmentally responsible glass production. Yet she has remained steadfastly true to herself – continuing to shape and craft new, non-recycled glass, leading workshops for the public, supporting glass artists worldwide, and organising events that nurture local development on the island she calls home. With innovative B2B products advancing sustainability in architecture and construction, and Novo Nordisk providing a reliable and generous supply of borosilicate glass for recycling, her studio and company are poised to grow rapidly – and responsibly.

References