I've seen these in person. They're much sturdier than from what most people are inferring from that photograph. The felt is industrial felt and extremely stiff, plus there's steel inside of it.

Matt Eskuche from Pittsburgh creates facsimiles of trash, to scale, in blown glass!

http://www.GlassArtists.org/Img130712__Img130712_DSC_0022024.jpg.asp

http://www.GlassArtists.org/Img135572__Img135572_IMG_0009.JPG.asp

http://www.GlassArtists.org/Img95209__Img95209_IMG_1320.JPG.asp