• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

2024 Philly Bike Expo

March 16 & 17

  • 2024 Sponsors
  • 2024 Exhibitors
  • Seminars, Events and Rides
    • Seminar and Event Schedule
    • Rides
    • 2022 Seminars and Events
    • 2022 Seminar Proposals
    • Seminar Videos
  • Attend
  • Exhibit
  • Volunteer
  • Expo News
  • Merchandise
  • Media
    • Media Badge
    • YouTube
  • About Us
    • Core Crew
    • PBE Squad
  • More
    • 2022 Sponsors
    • 2022 Exhibitors
    • 2021 Exhibitors
    • 2021 Sponsors
    • 2021 Seminars and Events
    • 2019 Exhibitors
    • 2019 Sponsors
    • 2018 Exhibitors
    • 2018 Sponsors
    • 2018 Seminars
    • 2017 Exhibitors
    • 2017 Sponsors
    • Seminar Audio Archive

Erra Creations: Repurposing Bicycle Parts For The Mind, Body and Soul

Erra Creations: Repurposing Bicycle Parts For The Mind, Body and Soul

The bicycle is, no doubt, one of the most sustainable forms of transportation on the planet. And although it gets us where we need to go, and puts a smile on our face with almost little impact — the bicycle does produce some amount of waste. Think of all the chains, cassettes, and cables one goes through over the years. It’s not a lot, sure, but it’s also not nothing. Entropy and all that.

In 2011, Nicole Bloch was rummaging around when she found her grandmother’s old costume jewelry. She began messing around with it, altering it, playing with shapes and function. Her best friend saw this and issued her a dare: Try and make some jewelry from used bicycle parts. Bloch accepted, and started Erra Creations.

She started simple, making bracelets, cufflinks and pendants from bicycle chains. But over the years, she started incorporating more componentry into her designs — necklaces made from cassettes, earrings from 11-tooth cogs, even pendants made from dozens of chain pins. If you can find it on a bike, there’s likely some way that Bloch can turn it into something worth wearing. 

But Erra Creations is not just jewelry. Bloch also produces small-batch natural body products like soaps, balms and salves — all of them handmade by Bloch herself right in her hometown of Pittsburgh. 

Like the changing seasons, Bloch’s offerings change with what’s available to her, so be sure to swing by her booth at this year’s expo to see what she’s working on now. 

Filed Under: PBE 2019

Footer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

bina@phillybikeexpo.com    215-740-7068

© 2023 Philadelphia Bike Expo, LLC