Push, Kick. Recycle, Reuse.

When it comes to an old, used skateboard, the last thing on a girl’s mind is to turn into wearable fashion, unless of course, you’re Philadelphia-based artist Claire McDermott. “I have watched my brother push and skate around my parent’s neighborhood for over 10 years,” McDermott says. “I was inspired to start the collection because of the boards that had been stacking up in my parent’s basement.”

Yep. McDermott has some serious skills. While attending the University of the Arts, she mainly worked with beads, but upon graduation began toying around with silver. A certain nagging passion led her back to those pesky skateboards and the girl has since made a business out of it.

Wondering how she does it? McDermott cuts each board into narrow square pieces and sands them individually, which means each bead is one-of-a-kind thus every necklace, ring, brooch and bracelet is one-of-a-kind, too.

Clearly, in a city such as Philly, there’s a huge skateboard presence not to mention a timeless history. Although she’s not heavily involved in the Philly skate scene, these days, the whole eco-friendly-products push is rather marketable, so McDermott has obviously hit the nail on the head. And you have to admit, her designs are pretty sweet.

To check out her work, visit www.clairemcdermott.com or www.clairemcdermott.bigcartel.com.

She’s also happy to custom make something specially for you.