When artist Jeff Davis was a masters student at Rhode Island School of Design in 2002, he needed sustainable or obsolete material for his thesis project.

He found some old LPs at the Salvation Army. Then he discovered through a combination of heat, pressure and custom-made molds that he could alter the shape of say, a copy of Frank Sinatra's "No One Cares" into art.

JEFF DAVIS / Vinylux, Inc. (ENLARGE)

Vinylux reshapes records into bowls and other items, and even recycles covers.

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He also discovered a lucrative profession.

Baby-boomers are snapping up Vinylux's bowls, serving trays, coasters, clocks and ornaments made out of recycled LPs and 45 singles.

His Philadelphia-based company Vinylux has grown into the sole source of income for Davis, 35, and his family.

This year alone, Davis estimates his eco-friendly company will recycle 150,000 pieces of old vinyl into hipster houseware gifts.

Vinylux transforms the album covers into scrapbooks, LP scraps into bracelets and record label spindles into drink coasters.

"People will even send me albums from their own collections — something with meaning — for custom orders," said Davis.

With 400 stores stocking his wares and vibrant online sales, Davis says its not just nostalgia driving business.

It's also art.

"Whether it's the cover or the label, everything was thought out from a design perspective," he said. "I like the labels like Elton John's 'Tumbleweed Connection' album where the logo [UNI, a division of MCA Records] had these yellow, green and blue swirls that moved as the record spun. It was a piece of pop art."

While he offers products made from recycled jazz, blues and soul albums, Davis said classic rock artists like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones outsell everything else three to one.

"If I only had a warehouse full of old Beatles albums with the original Apple label logos, I could retire," he said. "The demand for that alone is incredible."

For a full list of Georgia stores carrying Vinylux products or to order online: www.vinylux.net.