Wednesday was Earth Day and to celebrate it, St. Cloud, Minnesota-headquartered distributor ePromos Promotional Products (PPAI 212648, D11) collaborated with New York-based artist Chris Riggs on 16 original works of art—using promo products—to raise funds for COVID-19 relief efforts.

ePromos’ work with Riggs began before the pandemic and the company flew him to Tampa, Florida, to tour supplier Hit Promotional Products and learn more about the promotional products industry. During the tour, Riggs also learned of Hit’s work to reduce its environmental impact by offsetting carbon emissions on shipments leaving its facilities and donating goods that can’t be used. ePromos’ asked Riggs to consider creating pieces out of a combination of found objects and defective promotional products. The concept tied in with Earth Day’s message and the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Riggs says, “I have always enjoyed using found objects to create art. I think it’s amazing how artists can turn everyday items into art. It’s like magic! So, when ePromos contacted me to make these pieces, I was really excited.”

While at Hit’s facility, Riggs worked with Hit Director of Sourcing Steven Lynch to put together a collection of discarded promo items such as sunglasses, highlighters and pens that he saw as the best fit for his work. As Riggs worked on the pieces back at his studio, even the paint he used was recycled—people don’t always like the color of paint they’ve selected andd reject it, so Riggs mixed that paint to create new colors for his work.

All of the pieces Riggs created are available for purchase here. A portion of all proceeds will go to COVID-19 relief efforts as part of Giving Tuesday Now, which takes place on May 5.

Riggs’s art also resonates with the present situation, which finds so many at home quarantining. ePromos encourages those at home to create their own art pieces from items around the house and share their work online using the hashtag #ChrisRiggsxePromos.