Brazilian Artist Turns Discarded Tires into Cute Beds for Animals

Only a true artist could have come up with such a brilliant idea that in one stroke helps remove environmental waste while creating something that is highly useful and beautiful. Used tires are generally considered as object that contribute to environmental waste with end-of-life tires being piled up in heaps on roadsides or creating a stench as they are burned. Amarildo Silva, a 23-year-old Brazilian artist, came up with the creative of transforming these unwanted tires into truly adorable beds for animals by refurbishing and upcycling them with minimal cost.
Silva, who lives in Campina, Brazil was inspired by the sight of stray dogs who used old tires as makeshift beds. He felt that they felt more at home when they used scrap tires as beds and thus benefited from a better sleeping experience. This led him to go about collecting old tires from the streets. He piled them up in his backyard and even started stockpiling them in one room of his house which was set aside for this purpose.

The upcycling process requires immense effort. Each tire is first thoroughly cleaned, cut and given a fresh coat of paint. Then, a tiny mattress is installed in its center. The outcome is a shiny, adorable, new bed that any animal would be proud to have. Silva spends a lot of time personalizing each tire for its new owner, painting them with unique designs and writing the name of the animal that will own the bed.
Amarildo Silva has been selling these tire beds for the past two years and achieved the twin goals of cleaning up the streets of his city and making a tidy income for
his family. The beds soon became popular and Silva started his own business called Caominhas Pets and took to Instagram to promote his products. He has since sold over 500 tire beds. He also started converting tires into flowerpots and garden containers.

Silva believes his business can contribute to making the world more sustainable. He also spends considerable time mentoring students at local public schools and volunteering to help abandoned animals.