Remark Glass is a Philadelphia-based design and manufacturing company that transforms discarded glass into functional, hand-crafted products. Co-founded by Danielle Ruttenberg, Rebecca Davies, and Mark Ellis, the business creates lighting, tableware, and custom installations that reflect a balance of design, sustainability, and local production.
Working alongside its nonprofit partner, Bottle Underground, Remark Glass collects post-consumer glass from across the city and reintroduces it into production. This approach allows the company to reduce waste while maintaining a strong connection to its local environment. What has emerged is a business that is both creative and practical, grounded in craftsmanship and shaped by a broader effort to rethink how materials are used.
Over time, Remark Glass has grown from a small studio into a multi-channel business serving residential, commercial, and hospitality clients. Throughout that growth, the focus has remained consistent: to create well-made products while contributing to a more sustainable and locally rooted economy.
The Remark Glass Origin Story
Remark Glass was founded in 2016, when Danielle Ruttenberg, Rebecca Davies, and Mark Ellis began working with reclaimed glass in a shared studio space in Philadelphia.
At the time, much of the city’s glass waste was not being effectively recycled, despite its potential for reuse. The founders, drawing on backgrounds in art, design, and fabrication, began experimenting with ways to repurpose that material into functional objects.
What started as a small, hands-on effort gradually gained traction. Customers responded not only to the quality of the products, but also to the idea behind them, that materials often considered waste could be reworked into something useful and lasting.
As the business developed, the team began to build a more structured approach to sourcing and production. This led to the creation of Bottle Underground, which supports glass collection and community engagement, helping to ensure a consistent supply of material while connecting more people to the process.
How Remark Glass Is Making A Positive Impact
Remark Glass contributes to environmental and community outcomes through a model that is straightforward and locally grounded.
By reclaiming and reusing post-consumer glass, the company reduces the amount of material sent to landfill while limiting the need for new raw inputs. Because this process takes place locally, it also helps reduce transportation-related emissions and keeps value within the regional economy.
The business also creates opportunities for hands-on, skilled work. Roles in glass production, design, and fabrication provide pathways into creative manufacturing, with an emphasis on training and inclusive hiring.
Through Bottle Underground and its workshop programming, Remark Glass also engages the broader community. These efforts help raise awareness about material reuse while offering opportunities for individuals to participate directly in the process.
Together, these activities position the company as both a manufacturing business and a contributor to Philadelphia’s growing circular economy.
Why the UnTours Foundation Invested in Remark Glass
Remark Glass contributes to environmental and community outcomes through a model that is straightforward and locally grounded.
By reclaiming and reusing post-consumer glass, the company reduces the amount of material sent to landfill while limiting the need for new raw inputs. Because this process takes place locally, it also helps reduce transportation-related emissions and keeps value within the regional economy.
The business also creates opportunities for hands-on, skilled work. Roles in glass production, design, and fabrication provide pathways into creative manufacturing, with an emphasis on training and inclusive hiring.
Through Bottle Underground and its workshop programming, Remark Glass also engages the broader community. These efforts help raise awareness about material reuse while offering opportunities for individuals to participate directly in the process.
Together, these activities position the company as both a manufacturing business and a contributor to Philadelphia’s growing circular economy.
How You Can Support Remark Glass
Remark Glass’s work is supported through a mix of customers, collaborators, and partners. Individuals can support the business by purchasing products for personal use or gifting. Businesses can engage through custom projects, installations, or sourcing products that align with their sustainability goals. There are also opportunities to support through partnerships, whether by connecting the company to new markets, collaborating on programming, or integrating circular design into broader initiatives. For those interested in impact-focused investment, Remark Glass offers an opportunity to support the growth of a locally rooted manufacturing business working at the intersection of design, sustainability, and community development.
