Alien Menace began as a spark of inspiration in the vibrant city of Asheville, NC. Our founder, Frankie, driven by a passion for sustainability and creativity, saw potential in discarded materials. What started as an experiment with inner tubes soon transformed into a mission to redefine fashion accessories. Each piece is handcrafted, upcycled, and infused with a playful spirit of turning trash into treasure. 

Let’s start at the beginning…

Instantly, all my creative light bulbs went off. I saw potential — a durable, flexible material that could be a great alternative to leather. I grabbed a few and brought them home to experiment. Before I knew it, a wallet was born.

My first hurdle? The inner tubes were too thick and grippy to run through my home sewing machine. That challenge led me to experiment with thinner bicycle tubes and to incorporate laminated comic book pages into the design. The thicker tubes found their calling later — as purses and bags.

In the early days, I used old t-shirt material for backing, but it broke down too quickly. I wanted these wallets to last a lifetime, so I switched to cordura — a weatherproof fabric used in outdoor gear. I now source the scraps from my studio mate, who makes yoga mats and saves the offcuts for me.

Every rescued comic book, every reclaimed inner tube, each piece of scrap fabric began a new journey through my hands. Everyone who purchased a wallet wasn’t just buying an accessory; they were embracing an artistic piece of reimagined life.

Back in the 90s, as a single mom, I made a living remodeling houses—specializing in tile work and bathroom renovations. That’s where I first learned to solder copper pipes and became an expert at cutting ceramic and porcelain tile. It was my creative outlet and my survival skill. 20 years later, I’ve taken those skills and applied them in a whole new way. Now I transform heirloom broken dishware and antique glass into one-of-a-kind jewelry. Much of the glass I use is salvaged glass from an abandoned greenhouse built in the 1940s, originally used to grow food for troops during World War II. The dishware treasures come from estate sales and thrift stores—each piece carrying its own story before it even reaches my workbench.

I taught myself the Tiffany method of soft soldering, and I use only lead-free silver solder to create every piece. The plants and flowers you see in my designs? I pick and press them myself—using the old-school method of placing them between book pages. Every piece of handmade soldered jewelry I create is built with intention, history, and a little bit of rebellion—because that’s the heart of Alien Menace.

Using discarded and forgotten materials in art plays a crucial role in promoting environmental sustainability, fostering creativity, educating the public, and generating economic and social benefits. It encapsulates a holistic approach to dealing with modern wastefulness, transforming the negative impact of waste into a positive, creative force.

Art from discarded materials can be a powerful medium to reflect on consumerism, environmental degradation, and sustainability. It can provoke thought and discussion on cultural values and practices related to consumption and waste.