Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chloe Trent And Deken Taylor. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Chloe Trent and Deken Taylor, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?
Our self-discipline comes from how we were raised, with creativity, responsibility, and hard work being part of daily life.
For Chloe, it began with her sustainable upbringing. Her family repurposed everything—grocery bags became trash liners, pasta jars turned into snack containers, and old shirts became cleaning rags. This taught her the value of creativity and persistence. When she first turned an old wine bottle into a hand-painted vase, she didn’t realize it was the beginning of something bigger.
Growing up in a family where nothing went to waste, creativity wasn’t just encouraged—it was necessary. At the University of North Texas, known for its sustainability focus, she balanced graphic design classes, worked on projects like the environmental storm drain mural, and pursued her MBA while exploring ways to repurpose bottles.
“I’ve always seen potential in what others throw away,” Chloe says. “It’s about more than just recycling—it’s giving new life to things that would otherwise be forgotten.” Her passion for protecting the environment and expressing herself through art kept her motivated.
Her love for art also stems from her parents—her mom, a creative teacher, and her dad, a technical thinker with an entrepreneurial spirit. They encouraged her involvement in everything from ballet and sports to painting and theater, helping her develop a strong work ethic and time management skills. Whether self-teaching or pursuing advanced art programs, Chloe has always been committed to growth.
While Chloe found inspiration in sustainability and design, Deken’s self-discipline came from embracing creativity early on. He loved storytelling, public speaking, and writing, later finding a passion for music, which required patience and practice. “Music taught me that creativity isn’t just about inspiration, it’s about consistency,” Deken shares. In high school and college, he took leadership roles in managing creative projects, learning to stay organized and meet deadlines. His passion for helping other creatives build strong reputations drives his focused communication at BottlesCape Art.
Together, our complementary skills turned discarded materials into vibrant, meaningful art. Our self-discipline keeps BottlesCape Art moving forward, allowing us to turn everyday waste into beautiful creations while staying true to our values of sustainability, creativity, and innovation.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
BottlesCape is an arts and crafts business dedicated to transforming discarded bottles into unique, sustainable works of art. We design and create everything from tumblers and home décor vases to coffee mugs, coasters, bottle cap earrings, keychains, magnets, and prints. Our art draws inspiration from anime, comics, pop culture, and video games, blending creativity with eco-consciousness.
What makes BottlesCape special is how we turn everyday waste into something beautiful and functional. When you’re done with a bottle not labeled for reuse, don’t toss it—we see potential where others see trash. “It’s a gift to transform something as simple as an empty wine bottle into a stunning piece of home décor or turn bottle caps into fun, wearable art,” Chloe says. “We’re passionate about showing people that sustainability can be stylish and creative!”
Since launching in July 2022, we’ve kept our product lines fresh and exciting. In 2022, we introduced home décor bottles, vases, and tumblers. By 2023, we added bottle cap magnets and candles, and in 2024, we launched coasters and bottle cap keychains. For 2025, we’re thrilled to debut shot glasses and bottle cap earrings!
We’re also expanding our presence by attending major anime events in Texas, like WeebCon in April 2025. Our newly rebranded website features an improved layout to help build a strong online community. Looking ahead, we’re launching a podcast in 2027 to share behind-the-scenes stories of our business journey and offer tips for other small business owners. Charity events are also at the forefront because we couldn’t do nearly half the things we do without our community!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Both of us believe that the first key quality is believing in yourself. If you don’t have confidence in your abilities, how can you expect others to? There will always be challenges and moments of doubt, but trusting your vision is what keeps you moving forward. “For anyone starting out on any journey, take time to recognize your strengths and remind yourself why you started,” Deken advises. “It’s normal to feel uncertain, but pushing through those feelings is part of the growth process.”
The second quality is being consistent, dedicated, and realistic with your goals. Success doesn’t happen overnight. You have to put in the work, but it’s also important to recognize your physical and mental limits. Burnout is real! Setting achievable goals, staying organized, and celebrating small wins can keep you motivated over time. For us, sticking to a routine and being patient with progress has made a huge difference.
Finally, having a support system that holds you accountable is essential. We’re lucky to have been best friends for nearly a decade, and that bond has been a huge part of our journey. We support each other through tough times but also make sure we’re both holding up our responsibilities in the business. If you’re starting out, surround yourself with people who believe in you, whether that’s friends, mentors, or a community, and don’t be afraid to lean on them when needed.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is just how important our online community is to the growth of our business. Over the past year, we experimented with multiple online platforms, trying to figure out the best way to connect with our audience. Through that process, we realized that while social media is great, we needed to prioritize our own website to build a stronger, more direct relationship with our customers.
Our website gives us the freedom to showcase our work exactly how we want and create a seamless shopping experience, which has been key to retaining customers. While we love our local community—and many of them follow and support us online—we’re excited to grow our broader online audience. Our goal is to retain more customers than ever before by focusing on personalized experiences through our website and building a loyal, engaged online community.
BottlesCape Art proves that creativity and sustainability aren’t just compatible—they’re unstoppable. As we look to the future, our mission remains clear: to inspire others to see beauty where they once saw waste.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bottlescape-art.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bottlescapeart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bottlescapeart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bottlescapeart/?viewAsMember=true
- Twitter: https://www.tiktok.com/@bottlescapeart
Image Credits
Photos were taken and edited by Deken Taylor
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
