Handmade by a team of talented glass artisans, the Pod pendant redefines the parameters of hand-blown glass by curving around and tucking unexpectedly into the pendant's hollow form. Keep reading to see how Niche glass-blowers bring the Pod modern pendant light. 

1. Bubble Starting

First, each Pod pendant begins as molten glass on the end of a pipe (also referred to as a bubble), which is formed by rolling the glass back and forth to even out the shape and smooth the surface.

2. Blocking

Then, a member from the Niche team shapes the molten glass in a block, which is typically made of cherry wood. The block is wet when used to form the hot glass, creating a cushion of steam between the block and the glass to help the bubble move smoothly.

3. Mold Blowing

Next, the Head Gaffer will inflate the rounded mass of glass in the mold, a technique that is called mold blowing. The hot glass is forced against the inner surfaces of the mold and takes the beginning shape of the Pod.

This is what the Pod pendant looks like after it comes out of the mold. A tapered neck is formed at the end of the pipe to create a clear breaking point for the glass to detach from the pipe. This will eventually be hand-formed into a signature tuck shape.

4. Punty

The next step is quintessential in creating the Pod's signature tuck. The molded glass needs to be flipped over end-to-end on the pipe. In order to do this, a Hot Shop Assistant gathers a small amount of glass at the end of a second pipe, which is also known as a punty. The punty is then attached to the center-point of the Pod pendant, which enables it to transfer from the first pipe. This exposes the other end of the pendant to be hand-finished.

This is what the exposed end of the pendant looks like after the glass has been transferred to the second pipe. 

5. Creating the Tuck

The Head Gaffer then uses jacks, which are long, steel tongs, to help create and control the shape of the hot glass piece. The tuck is then created as the glass gets folded and turned inside of the hollow form. 

6. Annealing, Coldworking, Shipping

The pendant then gets cooled and hardened in the annealing process, after which it is finished in the Cold Shop. There, each piece is carefully measured, cut, drilled, sanded, and polished by hand to ensure that there is a clean finish every time. The final and most exciting step is packing and shipping the Pod pendant to its new home!

Do you have Pod pendants hanging in your space? Whether you're a designer, architect, homeowner, or business owner, we would love to see how you incorporate Niche lighting in your projects! Send us your project information and awe-inspiring images for a chance to be featured on our blog and social media pages.