Lucky Swallows: Made in Scotland from Recycled Ocean Plastic
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- August 11, 2025
Interior designer Anna Campbell-Jones and Ally Mitchell, founder of Ocean Plastic Pots, have teamed up to create a striking new collection of wall-mounted swallows — each one made with recycled plastic collected along Scotland’s coast. The Lucky Swallows are decorative, meaningful and sustainable, combining design-led craft with environmental impact.
Each swallow is hand-finished in Scotland using marine plastic sourced from fishing nets, rope and harbour waste. They’re lightweight, easy to hang and available in a range of colours and textures, depending on the salvaged material. Sold boxed with the story behind their creation, they make ideal gifts — thoughtful, symbolic and rooted in place.
The design is inspired by a vintage enamel bird that has hung in Anna’s home since she was a child. A modern take on a classic motif, the swallows carry the traditional associations of hope, homecoming and resilience — themes that resonate today more than ever. By reimagining the form in recycled plastic, the project brings new meaning to an old icon: celebrating heritage while directly tackling marine pollution.
Anna and Ally met by chance at a climate conference in Glasgow. Over coffee, they discovered a shared passion for sustainability, storytelling and design. A conversation about seabirds and recycled pots sparked an idea — to create something simple, beautiful, and made entirely from waste. What began as an experiment quietly launched on Instagram and took off overnight.
Ally Mitchell commented: “What started as a coffee and a scone, and a one-off project, has flourished into something much bigger. I’ve really enjoyed working with Anna, a professional designer and I’ve learned a lot from her approach to design. We both share a passion for the sea and sustainability which has led to a great working partnership.”
Anna Campbell-Jones said:“It has been an absolute joy to see the incredible reaction to these little symbols of hope and home, and to hear the touching stories of those who have already bought them, and who even continue to add to their flock with every new colour we bring out.
Anna added, “It has been both sobering and inspiring to hear first hand from Ally the extent of the impact of ocean plastic waste and how he has taught himself how to process it to create products that show us one solution.”
Now stocked by the V&A Dundee, sold online and in select independent shops including Uly & Ro in Forres, Britton Scotland in Dornoch, Mixo in Gourock. The Lucky Swallows have found a loyal audience among design lovers, eco-conscious shoppers and corporate gifters. Stylish, practical and made with purpose, each piece offers more than decoration — it tells a story, starts conversations and gives plastic waste new life. One swallow doesn’t make a summer — but it might just help change how we think about waste.
Lucky Swallows are available online from oceankitchenscotland.com and annacampbelljones.com. Priced £15 each including delivery.
About Anna Campbell-Jones
Anna is a Glasgow-based interior designer, broadcaster and founder of Habitus Design, a studio known for bold, sustainable interiors. With a career spanning three decades, she has worked with clients including IBM, Heal’s and River Island, and lectured in Interior Design at the Glasgow School of Art for nearly 20 years. She is best known as the presenter and judge on BBC Scotland’s Home of the Year. In 2023, she launched her own brand with a range inspired by WWI Dazzle Camouflage, fusing her love of 20th-century art, sustainability and local craftsmanship.
About Ally Mitchell
A former North Sea Saturation Diver, Ally Mitchell is the founder of Ocean Plastic Pots, a multi-award-winning company turning marine waste into garden and home products. The idea came in 2020, during a salvage dive off the Isle of Skye through 2,000 tonnes of plastic. Since then, he has pioneered the injection moulding of recycled rope and fishing nets, partnered with ports and beach cleaning groups, and recycled over 20 tonnes of ocean plastic into practical, design-led products. His work has been recognised by RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Which?, Scottish EDGE and the UK Prime Minister’s Points of Light award.
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