Our Story

We launched Glass Half Full in February 2020, to bring accessible, transparent glass recycling to the of New Orleans. We were college seniors armed only with an idea, a backyard, and the backing of our community. What started as a small side-project quickly evolved into something truly bigger than us.

While we were starting up (unbeknownst to us in our home neighborhood!), Travis Laurendine and Andrew Barrows were making prototypes of glass beads using recycled bottles. Andrew is a local glass blower with decades of experience crafting incredible new glass products and successfully crafted several bead styles and colors using beer bottles. 

When our powers combined, we created Nola Alchemy. Our limited edition products support Glass Half Full’s coastal restoration work and production of sustainable glass beads for Mardi Gras.

We produce awesome, hand-crafted products made from 100% recycled glass.

We divert tens of thousands of pounds of glass from Louisiana landfills per week. This collaboration focuses on creating new, beautiful glass products from what is often considered waste. Through Glass Half Full’s mission centered around diverting glass from landfills and recycling it into a useable product, and Liquid Art’s talent for transforming glass cullet into incredible products — NOLA Alchemy was born.