Future Makers

12/11/2024

📣 Welcome back to Janis Zube!

After completing his post graduate internship from Nottingham Trent University with us, earlier this summer, Janis has now joined the team as a Future Makers Technician.

“I’m excited to be back at Future Makers. I’m looking forward to creating sustainable designs, shift negative perceptions of plastic, and push the boundaries of what we can do with recycled plastic”.

Janis has hit the ground running! He’s been busy working on:
♻️ Recycled plastic sheets for the ACE Plastic Pavillion
🦜 A bird box prototype
🌱 A planter for the school project
⚙️ Supporting the Nottingham College learners in their workshops this week, to make recycled PLA planters for their site.

👏🏼 We’re so happy to have you back on board - more updates to follow!

06/11/2024

At Future Makers, we’re driven by a powerful belief: that the plastic already existing in our world can be transformed into beautiful, sustainable and meaningful products.

Every year, millions of tonnes of plastic is produced, with projections showing that this number is set to triple, with only 9-12% being recycled. The remainder is incinerated, goes to landfill, dump sites or into waterways.

Rather than seeing plastic as waste, we are leaning into its potential, educating people on how to repurpose this versatile material, to create stunning artistic products.

Check out our website product page to see what we’ve been working on. Link in bio 🔗

Comment below or DM - we’d love to hear your feedback 💬

16/10/2024

📣 We are proud to announce we’re working together with to research how we can recycle PLA into products. Watch this space there’s more to come!

30/09/2024

🎉 Shout out to our incredible intern, George Odeke 🎉

Over the past 6 weeks, George has brought so much creativity and hands on energy to Future Makers. He’s designed and built our stunning new workbenches - what did we do without them?!

From hand finishing the Best Bar None awards, assembling the ‘honeycomb’ collection point, made from recycled plastic and reclaimed materials, completing a workshop to create a planter made from PLA and helping with the development of the front interior design, George’s contributions have been invaluable!

George said “i love that it’s been so hands on, it’s been so helpful for my development. In terms of my own projects I’d look to use recycled plastic. For practical applications - a decorative aesthetic, it’s useful and sustainable. It brightens a space and makes it look really vibrant”.

George has embraced every challenge, learning how to push the limits of recycled plastic to bring practical, vibrant designs to life.

We’ve loved having him here and can’t wait to see where his creativity takes him next!
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26/09/2024

🎨 Big thanks to Aurean Luemba! 🎨

Aurean’s been an absolute star during her 6-week internship at Future Makers! She’s contributed 3D renders for the pavilion, collaborated with Tom Hughes to design and build the interior space and furniture for our front of house.

From helping with awards to completing a workshop to make recycled plastic planters from 3D print waste (PLA), Aurean’s creativity and leadership have been inspirational.

Aurean said “Plastic is not a bad material, you can do quite a lot with it. It takes time and patience to learn the basics and experience to find out what you can do. You can play with the colour the shapes, the texture. I would definitely use it as a display, on the wall. You can separate colours and create your own palette, this is really important to build out designs from”.

Aurean’s learned firsthand how versatile recycled plastic can be – from shaping textures and colours to creating beautiful, functional designs. Her open minded, willingness to experiment, and hands on approach have been key in transforming her conceptual ideas into reality.

We’ve loved working with you, Aurean, and can’t wait to see your next creative steps!

24/09/2024

📣 Introducing Toby Maurice. Toby has joined Future Makers for a 9 month placement as part of his BSc Product Design course at Nottingham Trent University.

Toby brings a wealth of knowledge, having worked with plastic since his GCSEs and completed numerous projects focused on recycling plastics at university.

After first meeting Toby at Interplas 2023, we kept in touch and now he’s here to help us grow, with his passion for plastic recycling.

Since joining us, Toby has already completed a plastic recycling worksho, making planters from recycled PLA (3D print waste). Currently he’s working on product designs for bird boxes, animal habitats and offering his insights on our studio’s interior. Welcome Toby!
mauricedesign

23/09/2024

🌟A huge thank you to Janis Zube! 🌟

In just 6 weeks, Janis has contributed so much to Future Makers. From hand finishing our latest product - beautiful 100% recycled plastic coasters, designing the packaging, a custom screen display and working on the Best Bar None awards! He’s completed a hands on workshop, building planters from recycled PLA and helped to develop the interior front space on site.

Janis explained: “Now I know how to work with plastic, I thought I did before but now I really know. There are a few challenges to it but you can make a lot of stuff with it. I like it as art, statement pieces and I would use it in furniture or as counter tops.”

Janis has embraced the nuances of working with reclaimed materials. He’s learned how versatile plastic can be, from statement art pieces to artistic functional products. His collaborative spirit has made a real impact!

Thank you Janis for all your hard work and dedication, we’ve loved having you as part of the team!
zube

16/09/2024

⭐️ What a Week! ⭐️

Last week was the first week of our Plastic Recycling Workshops at Future Makers, and we’re so proud of our talented participants!

With backgrounds in Product Design, Interior Design, and Civil Engineering, our learners embraced the challenge of transforming plastic into one of our most highly coveted products (to be revealed this week!)

Throughout the week, they:
✅ Explored the full recycling process, from sorting and shredding to creating stunning sheet materials.

✅ Worked with colour mixing and building planters using recycled plastic - skills with real-world applications.

✅ Gained hands-on experience with innovative approaches to using plastic as a versatile, creative material.

This course offers specialised training and prepares participants for opportunities within industries looking to reduce plastic waste and create artistic, sustainable products.

Employers, if you’re looking for talented individuals with creative and practical skills in sustainable design - keep an eye on these future makers!

💡 Interested in joining the next cohort? Email [email protected] today!

11/09/2024

🎉 We’re thrilled to have partnered with It’s in Nottingham to create stunning, sustainable awards for the Best Bar None 2024!

Find out how they were made in our latest blog post: https://www.future-makers.co.uk/news/its-in-nottingham-best-bar-none-nottingham-awards-2024

🥳 Thanks to our interns from Nottingham Trent University: George Odeke, Janis Zube and Aurean Luemba for their fantastic work on this project! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

04/09/2024

🚨 Major Announcement!!! 🚨

Are you ready to transform plastic waste into art?

Sign up for our FREE hands on workshops at Future Makers and learn how to turn plastic waste into stunning, functional art!

Whether you’re passionate about sustainability or just eager to learn something new, this is your chance to learn the skills to make a real impact!

There are limited spots available, so sign up now!

Dates:
Cohort 1: 9th-11th Sep - FULL
Cohort 2: 16th-18th Sep,l
Cohort 3: 30th Sept-2nd Oct
Time: 10am-3pm
Location: Future Makers, Nottingham

Why Join? Gain practical skills, develop your creativity, and contribute to a more sustainable future!

Interested? Email [email protected] today!

04/09/2024

27/08/2024

🤝 We’re thrilled to introduce our three talented interns at Future Makers, each bringing unique perspectives and skills to our creative studio.

George Odeke, Aurean Luemba and Janis Zube have already made a BIG impact during their time with us, helping to clean and stage our studio for the Studio Tour and Industry Insights event last week and taking on their initial unique challenge of building their own work desks from reclaimed materials!

George, with a background in Civil Engineering, was eager to explore the sustainable side of design at Future Makers. Through his work here so far, he’s gained a deeper understanding of plastic recycling, uncovering the vast potential of this material.

He’s been particularly impacted by the educational aspect of our work, recognising the importance of dispelling misconceptions about plastic’s recyclability. George is now excited to apply this knowledge to his future projects, seeing plastic as a viable and sustainable resource.

Aurean who studied Interior Architecture and Design at NTU, has been excited to dive deeper into the world of plastic recycling with us. Having previously chosen laser cut wood over 3D prints, as a more sustainable material for projects, she’s discovered how recyclable and adaptable plastic can be! Her hands-on experience has shifted her perspective, revealing new possibilities for integrating plastic into design projects.

Janis joins us after studying Product Design and Furniture at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). With a passion for sustainable design, He’s fascinated by the possibilities of reusing plastic, a material often overlooked in his field.

His work on coasters, packaging design, and prototypes in our workshop has opened his eyes to the versatility of plastic, challenging his previous assumptions and inspiring him to explore its potential in future projects.

This dynamic trio are making valuable contributions to our mission, bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the Future Makers team. We’ll be posting more updates on their projects during their six weeks with us.

20/08/2024

A big thank you to everyone who joined us at Future Makers today!

We had an incredible morning at our Studio Tour and Industry Insights event, and we’re so grateful to everyone who made it a success.

A special thank you to Will Clarke and Matthew Matwijczuk from PlastikCity & PlastikMedia, and Peter Pedrick from Innovate UK for your support.

It was fantastic to connect with new contacts in the plastics industry. The feedback on Future Makers was invaluable, and we’re excited about the potential collaborations ahead.

Thank you all for being part of this journey with us. We’re looking forward to continuing to innovate and drive positive change in the plastics industry together!

31/07/2024

🎨 This week, we’re heading to to check out the incredible family-friendly free, Monster Fun exhibition by Nottingham’s very own .

Get ready to meet his newest creations, The Hooboos, along with some massive (and friendly) monster buddies, including the four-meter-high Mega Bunny, a purple Octopus, and the giant Egg Cat!

The fun doesn’t stop inside! Follow the Hooboos trail around Highfields Park and keep an eye out for monsters made from recycled plastic!

Who’s joining us for some monster fun?

30/07/2024

📣 UPDATE: Art in Action!

Our talented Lead Artist Ben and assistant Elliot are busy in the studio this week, assembling the stunning Plastic Pavilion!

This intricate structure highlights the incredible potential of waste plastic as a creative material, transforming what was once waste into a masterpiece.

Art and design are powerful tools in tackling the plastic crisis, inspiring us to rethink waste and reimagine our plastic recycling. More updates to follow 👀

.ap.harri

18/07/2024

The one and only has been busy in the studio with a design for our new plastic recycling collection point.

This stunning artwork highlights the value of the plastic we’re collecting.

We love her work so much! 💛🧡💜💚

More to follow! 👀

12/07/2024

📣 Since the launch of our plastic recycling campaign at South Wilford Primary School two weeks ago, we’ve been overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and participation in this project!

After speaking to over 300 pupils and teachers in assembly about the value of recycling plastic and showing a video of our workshop in action, we set them a 4 week challenge to collect 25Kg+ to make a beautiful planter for their school. So far they’re smashing it!

Our aim is to demonstrate the value of plastic, enable hyperlocal recycling, demystify the recycling process and inspire the next generation of waste plastic innovators!

Read more in our latest blog post: https://www.future-makers.co.uk/news/plastic-recycling-campaign-launch-at-south-wilford-primary-school

More updates to follow! 👀

04/07/2024

🎨 Attention all Artists - update on our Arts Council England Project!

Our lead artist Ben has been finding sustainable solutions for plastic waste from local building sites, to create an ambitious frame for this public artwork.

How is art and design shaping the future of plastic recycling?

🎨 Visual impact, capturing attention.
👀 Serving tangible reminders of creative solutions.
📚 Education to demystify the plastic recycling process.
💡Inspiration and innovation for creative applications.
🤝 Engaging communities in hyperlocal recycling practices, keeping plastic circular.
📢 Advocating for plastic waste solutions.

This project is due for completion later this summer, stay tuned, to see how it's shaping up 👀
ap.harri