This initiative by SHIFT, Plexal, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, UCL Innovation & Enterprise, ReLondon, Hackney Wick & Fish Island Community Development Trust, and London Legacy Development Corporation, is a new scale-up programme that provides financial backing and access to collaborative networks, workspaces and local knowledge resources for the best chance at success.
The theme of the first challenge was ‘Natural Cities’, with an emphasis on issues such as biodiversity loss, air pollution and circular solutions to minimise waste. Yodomo’s work falls into the category of circular solutions to minimise waste, and our inclusion in this programme is in part due to our significant growth potential and proven capability to deliver impact across East London and beyond.
Yodomo's approach to reducing pre-consumer textile waste focuses on waste generated by UK manufacturing. After our successful round of research and development with support from Innovate UK under their Transformative Technologies scheme, we will be taking what we’ve learned to produce practical solutions to tackle problem areas in both waste and energy. This will be done by taking the biggest pre-consumer textile waste streams and converting these into sustainable, energy-efficient products for local social housing. With SHIFT’s support, we will be able to test and scale our proposed solutions.
We’re delighted to be working with an initiative whose goals align with ours, and who can help us in doing our part to address the pressing issues around climate change. We’re equally excited to be in this programme with four other incredible organisations, including MAD LEAP, Alive Labs, FibreLab, and Goodmine. We look forward to this opportunity, which will further enhance Yodomo's capabilities in managing textile waste and promoting sustainable practices. Read more about SHIFT's initiative and the other members of the cohort here.
We're currently looking for commercial partners to collaborate on this project. If you’re interested in working with us, please get in touch.
The project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by the Mayor of London.
]]>Speaking after the announcement, YODOMO founder, Sophie Rochester said, “We are delighted to have won this Marie Claire Sustainability Award and get the recognition for our work in the circular economy from such a distinguished jury.
At YODOMO we have been helping the interiors industry on its pathway to Net Zero through innovative circular solutions for textile waste. We’ve been encouraged by the commitment from interior companies to work with us to change up their processes and put in new systems.”
For this year's awards, Marie Claire partnered with sustainability advisory, Seismic, to support reviewing entries and judging the winners. Judges assessed the social and sustainable practices of core businesses, in addition to the innovation being recognised. Businesses were asked to back up all sustainability claims which were then reviewed and validated.
Andrea Thompson, Editor-in-Chief at Marie Claire, said: “The quality of entries this year was incredibly high.”
The judging panel stated that Yodomo received the award because:
“Yodomo addresses pre-consumer textile waste from the interior design industry by redistributing it to maker and craft communities, fostering circular solutions. It began this initiative in collaboration with the London Borough of Hackney, diverting more than four tonnes of textile waste to be creatively repurposed. This approach promotes repurposing, raises material awareness, builds communities, offers skills training, and creates new markets for upcycled goods. Yodomo connects with local businesses and receives funding to extend its goal: prevent textile waste and reduce carbon footprint.”
Judge Ele Ward, the CMO of Ctrl Alt and a sustainability expert said,
"Wow, what an amazing organisation. From people to the planet, this business is tackling sustainability from every angle and shows the importance of grassroots work, from employee engagement to working with volunteers," says Ward.
"Yodomo is a business whose journey I look forward to following very closely as have no doubt there's more to come."
We recently teamed up with LSE and Practera to look into the incentives for businesses to begin exploring more sustainable routes to manage textile waste.
In light of the growing concern about our impact on the climate and the sustainability of the goods we produce, governments across the world are researching and implementing measures to reduce textile waste. One such measure is Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, a legislative strategy that holds producers accountable for the environmental impact of materials they circulate.
In this report, we cover three primary areas: UK textile policy, EU policy, and non-legislative incentives to begin the transition into a circular economy. Some key takeaways are as follows:
YODOMO positive impact to date:
YODOMO pilot scheme in 2022 reused 4 tonnes of textiles in one reuse hub in Hackney
YODOMO supplied textiles for free to 1500 creatives/ businesses / residents locally
YODOMO helps businesses report on their waste and put them on the pathway to Net Zero
YODOMO supports the creative industry who contributes 3.4 billion annually to the economy
PARTNERS supporting development of YODOMO’s solution
Matoha textile identification app for easy sorting of mixed fabrics
Fiberlab reintroducing waste materials as packaging
Zhero’s zero emissions logistics
About YODOMO
YODOMO is a social venture, founded by Sophie Rochester in 2018. Having built up a community of over 220k online users, YODOMO now collects textile waste from businesses and makes it available to creative people to transform it into something new. They encourage participation in crafts and making by sharing the expertise of independent artists and makers through both online and in-person workshops. YODOMO currently has two dedicated circular hubs where materials are made available to makers and members.
About Innovate UK:
Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. It connects businesses to the partners, customers and investors that can help them turn ideas into commercially successful products and services and business growth.
It funds business and research collaborations to accelerate innovation and drive business investment into R&D. Support is available to businesses across all economic sectors, value chains and UK regions. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation.
You can read more about the Transformative Technologies grants at UKRI.
For more information visit www.innovateuk.ukri.org
Sources:
*https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20201208STO93327/the-impact-of-textile-production-and-waste-on-the-environment-infographics
**https://theroundup.org/textile-waste-statistics/
***https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmenvaud/1952/report-files/195207.htm
Further press information contact Julienne Webster on 07973 273913
Julienne@industrypublicity.co.uk
Tim Page Carpets works with numerous fibres, textures and qualities to enhance all interiors from residential to commercial, contemporary to classic, and is considered an invaluable source to interior designers and architects around the world. They have recently supplied Yodomo with offcuts and samples for several creative reuse projects including a living seating area for Glastonbury Festival 2023; a dress made from jute for a fashion show and a Netflix TV series. This already demonstrates how quickly ‘waste’ textiles can be reused creatively and kept in the economy.
Dress by designer Nicola Jane Reid made of jute from Tim Page Carpet offcuts
Yodomo’s innovative commercial textile waste service will meet the demand of businesses like Tim Page Carpets looking for circular economy solutions to better report on where their waste ends up, whilst ensuring materials stay at their highest value within the economic system for as long as possible.
Glastonbury festival goers seated on a sitting area made with Tim Page Carpet surplus
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The textile reuse hub will build on our continued textiles circularity work at the Yodomo Circular Hub at Hackney City Farm (originally supported by London Borough of Hackney and Footwork) and focus on solutions to reduce textile waste. It will also be the home of the Sustainable Young Makers programme working with partners Poplar HARCA and Rise Up.
The space will:
Provide a demonstrator for circular economy approaches to making, encouraging materials reuse and a space to use machinery and learn about materials to support sustainable making
Support young makers to gain experience in building their own fashion and making businesses, using circular approaches, or to adapt existing businesses to build in more sustainable approaches
Provide showcasing opportunities, including product launches, for Sustainable Young Makers
Engage the wider community in sustainable approaches to making through a series of events and activities
Encourage circular approaches in the wider Hackney Wick and Fish Island fashion, creative and making communities via access to material resources, linked to the Hackney Creative Reuse Project at Hackney City Farm
The Textile Reuse Hub has been made possible by the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) High Streets For All Challenge Fund and support from the London Borough of Hackney. In 2021, the GLA funded the HWFI CDT to deliver a circular economy initiative in the area, to demonstrate new ways of using the high street area and engaging young people in this agenda.
Hackney Wick and Fish Island Community Development Trust (HWFI CDT) secured the space with The Trampery Fish Island Village, to launch a textile reuse hub that will focus on solutions to reduce textile waste and be the home of the Sustainable Young Makers programme.
The Textile Reuse Hub will showcase circular economy approaches to fashion and making and is the first ReRoute project to launch.
ReRoute is coordinated by HWFI CDT and is a programme to test, trial, scale and grow ideas and business initiatives that seek to reduce the amount of waste and emissions in the local area. ReRoute is a project designed by local people and businesses aimed at tackling climate change by coordinating local action and working together.
The Textile Reuse Hub will be managed by social venture partners Yodomo, with programme support from Poplar HARCA, Rise Up East and local youth charities with space provided by the Trampery.
Read the full press release at ReRoute.
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One of the biggest challenges we hear about with textile waste is identification. Sometimes waste textiles are labelled but often they are not.
The introductory guide is designed for independent makers and creative businesses to answer questions about reuse materials and the lifecycle of textile waste.
The guide is made to help anyone better understand textile waste and surplus materials, offering practical ways to identify materials and learn the steps to take to ensure safe, clean, and long-lasting items. The guide details the best ways to care for reuse materials to keep them at their highest value for the longest possible amount of time. It also identifies the benefits of opting for fabrics and textiles that would otherwise end up discarded.
As a part of this guide, we produced a glossary of key terms for the textile industry.
As a circular economy venture seeking solutions to the environmental crisis caused by textile waste, we first needed to define the problem in order to create solutions. A big part of this was to understand the myriad aspects of the textile industry, including several terms that may be unfamiliar to lay people. We believed that organising these terms together for our readers would prove useful, so that anyone can learn more about textiles at a glance.
The glossary gives detailed descriptions of key terms related to textile waste and is an ongoing project that we are updating as new words and new solutions arise.
So far, we have accumulated 50+ words that give detailed information around the words and it is in an interactive guide enabling users to easily move from one word to another.
Have you heard? Yodomo has joined the fold at Hackney City Farm, setting up shop for the Hackney Creative Reuse Project’s first pick-up location.
Hackney City Farm has been a staple of the neighbourhood for over three decades. Located at the corner of Haggerston Park, off the bustling streets between Columbia Road and Broadway Market, it’s home to several educational initiatives and innovative projects in sustainability and wellbeing, not to mention tons of adorable farm animals.
We’ve taken up a space between Sol Share, a sustainable fishmonger, and Get Loose, a zero-waste organic shop, and we’ll soon be ready to open our doors to Hackney residents and visitors. Come by and see all the creative projects you can make using consumer surplus materials, sign up for our programme and take away some materials to make your masterpiece. Best of all, it’s free!
Farm animals can be found in pens and roaming the grounds, and its buildings house a flourishing community of creatives and sustainable enterprises. Kids and adults can access workshops on art, pottery, woodworking, psychotherapy and more, and Frizzante Cafe offers farm-to-fork deliciousness six days a week. Spend a sunny afternoon there, say hi to some friendly donkeys on your way to Columbia Road Flower Market, or relax in its picturesque gardens.
In 1984, the Hackney City Farm opened at its current location with a hundred-year lease from the Hackney Council. But before that, the area had a rich and varied history spanning over a century.
From the early 1800s until the late 1900s, the area has been the site of farmers and market gardeners, a brewery, furniture makers, button manufacturers, a road haulage company and more.
It wasn’t until 1982 that the idea of the Farm was conceived, inspired by the successful example set by Kentish Town City Farm. Originally located in Covent Garden, it has since grown into the thriving community we see today, offering a unique educational experience in the heart of Hackney.
After spending days on end clearing out the room, moving around boxes and cleaning the space top-to-bottom, our little corner of Hackney is coming together nicely. To take full advantage of your visit, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to find out the exact dates we’ll be open, when you’ll be able to join as a member, and other important updates.
You'll need to become a Creative Reuse member to be able to take away free materials. Learn more and sign up to become a Creative Reuse member here.
Read the Hackney Creative Reuse Project’s FAQs here, and join the Making a Living community to connect with other Creative Reuse members.
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A Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution is a showcase of natural dyes and plant fibres at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022
Created by garden designer Lottie Delamain, the garden solely features plants that can be used to make or dye clothes.
Throughout history, plants have played a fundamental role in fashion - as dyes, fibres and print designs. The time-honoured dyeing techniques used to create A Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution show us how ancient wisdom can be the height of innovation.
“We can have any fabric, material, ink, or dye shipped directly to our door. We have a bottomless choice of materials from which to design and create. And we are wholly divorced from the practices, skills and methods required to grow and produce these materials. This became the founding principle behind the garden – I wanted to challenge myself to create something using the resources we have readily available, using a restricted palette that would force a new creative approach, that explored the lost connection between plants and textiles.”Lottie Delamain, Garden Designer
The garden design itself draws inspiration from textiles. Plants are grouped in distinctive blocks of colour, to create the impression of a woven fabric. The garden is punctuated by shallow reflective pools which represent dye baths, with fabric or fibres soaking in natural dyes. A series of paved seams will lead visitors through the planting, in which are nestled two living willow cubes created by artist and Yodomo maker Julia Clarke.
The Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution showcases innovative thinking about how we can use the resources around us (quite literally on our doorsteps) to create more sustainable solutions. It seeks to help re-establish the connection between plants and textiles, reveal the beauty to be found in plant-based dyes and fibres, and sow a seed of curiosity about what we wear.
Today’s fashion industry is dominated by synthetic fibres and chemical dyes. The philosophy behind the garden is about seeing the potential in the resources we have around us (quite literally on our doorsteps) to create more sustainable solutions.
Many of the plants are native wildflowers, easily propagated and grown in the UK and undemanding in terms of water. Fashion Revolution hopes that the garden inspires visitors and the wider public to see the potential in using natural dyes and fibres, encourages them to try dyeing with plants at home or even create a mini-dye garden, and ask #WhatsInMyClothes?
A Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution was made possible with support from Project Giving Back. After RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the garden will be relocated to Headington School in Oxford. RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place from 24-28 May 2022.
For more information about the garden please visit the Fashion Revolution website. Images credit: Dave Watts and Fashion Revolution.
Spend a day in the sunshine exploring free workshops, live music, talks and entertainment, eclectic local traders and spectacular street food.
Yodomo's Creative Reuse Station will be popping up, to help you rethink waste by repairing items that you already own.
Our range of bookable workshops with our lovely makers will teach you sustainable skills to help you take steps towards circular crafting.
Learn how to mend with this darning workshop with Tessa Solomon. You will be provided with a sample patch and taught hand stitching techniques that you can use to extend the life of your garments at home. Rethink waste and follow in Tessa's footsteps to challenge the culture of over-production and throwaway fashion.
Workshop Time: 11:30 – 13:30. Price: £5. Booking Required.
Breathe new life into well-worn denim clothes with this visible mending workshop with Embellished Talk. Led by Rebeckah this two hour session will teach you how to revive and repair denim using embroidery and hand stitching techniques. Begin your journey towards a sustainable wardrobe and let your unique character shine through your clothing.
Workshop Time: 14:30 – 16:30. Price: £5. Booking Required.
Learn the art of leather crafting and make your own leather key fob from offcuts. Suitable for beginners, this session will teach you the basic skills of leather crafting using sustainably sourced and naturally tanned leather.
Workshop Time: 17:00 – 19:00. Price: £5. Booking Required.
Explore London’s newest creative district and create drawings in response to the area’s distinctive architecture and material palette. Led by artist and illustrator Isabella Mitchell, this workshop is drop-in. So you can join in at any point, and stay for as long as you like.
Workshop Time: 15:00 – 17:30. Free. Drop-In.
Come along to Urban Village Fete, and enjoy:
A music line up that includes Bradley Zero, Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy and Jazz In The Park
Talks from industry leaders and creative thinkers
Street food vendors & pop-up bars
Designer-Maker market stalls
and much more!
Image credits: Mykola Romanovsky
Yusuf will be leading a workshop on making a leather key fob for SAMPLE Spring at the Design District in the Greenwich Peninsula. Find out more about this event and book a free ticket here. You can follow YUSSICO on Instagram at @yussico to stay up-to-date with Yusuf.
Ironically, I began exploring my creative side and working with my hands whilst reading Law at the London School of Economics. Over the years, I tried many different crafts, but it was after I stepped away from a career as a solicitor that I discovered leatherworking and I was instantly hooked! I gradually improved my skills by taking short courses with craftspeople I admired and spent all my free time practicing in my tiny bedroom. In 2019 I decided to quit my job to focus on my craft full-time and moved into Cockpit Studios, which led to the launch of my now very popular teaching practice. Although I couldn’t teach during the pandemic, I used that time to develop and launch my first collection of homeware and handbags, which I’m very excited about!
I really believe that the body knows what it wants to express and the hands know how to bring that into existence. I therefore eschew any cerebral processing and prefer to be led by the materials and the experience I hold in my hands. It’s forever a challenge to switch off the mind to really discover what is stimulation and what is inspiration. A lot of my process is actually deep inner work to discover the true nature of myself and my expression. Working with my hands allows me to reveal the relationship I have with myself and the world around me. Through my work, I’m able to convey that.
I understand the dichotomy of my existence as a craftsperson and grapple with it in all my decision making by adopting a slow and considered approach to everything I do. From the sourcing of my leather and other supplies right through to the packaging, I ensure that I am continually minimising my impact. The handcrafted approach puts a natural cap on my rate of growth. I approach design through a unique and fresh lens to ensure that only well considered creations are released into the world, ones that will become your favourite pieces for many years to come.
Rebeckah will be leading a workshop on denim repair for SAMPLE Spring at the Design District in the Greenwich Peninsula. You can book a free ticket to this repair workshop here.
I studied fashion textiles at the London College of Fashion and graduated with a BA Honours degree in 2007. My course focused on printed textiles so I mainly worked with silk screen and digital printing. For my final major project I decided to incorporate some hand beading and digital embroidery into my garments. I really enjoyed the texture of embroidery and embellishments. After graduating, I taught myself how to hand embroider by watching YouTube tutorials and through various books. My favourite book is Mary Thomas’ Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches. I think hand embroidery is incredibly therapeutic and calming. I enjoy it so much and still find it fascinating after all these years. Plus, there are still so many stitches I’d like to learn!
I really love embroidering on thick cottons and canvas because they’re sturdy and easy to stitch on. There are lots of different types of thread to use but I like DMC’s cotton strands the most. I enjoy making samples and playing around with different textiles more than stitching on or for clothes. I’ve created so many samples that now I need to find a purpose for them! I’ve been using a lot of embellishments to create delicate textures with sequins and beads. I really love the work of Danish fashion designer Cecilie Bahnsen and have been teaching myself to create samples similar to her beautiful dresses.
I started Embellished Talk simply as a blog to begin with. I was working a very boring office job and really wanted to do something creative. After graduating, I found it hard to look for textiles work so I settled for other jobs in order to pay the rent. Initially, my blog was a platform to interview craft makers to find out how they got into textiles and if it was their main source of income. I was nosey and wanted to know if people actually made any money from being a textiles designer. Interviewing so many people inspired me to leave my office job and start teaching embroidery through creative workshops. I worked part time for a few months while I was figuring out my brand so I had a safety net to fall on. I’ve now been fully self-employed for about 5 years.
I’m inspired by so many people. I really love the French make up artist Violette Fr. Her creative background comes from studying art so she has a very different approach and aesthetic to applying make up. She creates these ‘colour moods’ that I like and that inspires me when I’m working with fabric. I like watching her make up tutorials on YouTube while I’m stitching. My husband’s always commenting on how many times I’ve watched them all! I’m also inspired by Tylynn Nguyen. She’s a model, entrepreneur and influencer and she has such a clean and calming aesthetic that I admire. I recently went to the Louise Bourgeois exhibition in the Hayward Gallery and found her work and ideas inspiring as well. All of these women are mothers and that’s the biggest inspiration for me. I have two small children, Cleo who's 3 and Ruby who's 10 months old. Motherhood is hard, it’s exhausting and it takes up a lot of your time, energy and headspace, so any woman who can carve out some time for herself to be creative and financially sufficient is inspiring to me.
My maternity leave ends in a few weeks so I’m really looking forward to working again, especially after being pregnant in the lockdown. I want to continue to run embroidery workshops, and I’d like to work in colleges and universities to help fashion students find work placements and offer careers advice. I want to grow my following on Instagram and use my embroidery in the influencer space, working with exciting brands. I’d love to collaborate with brands to create homeware or kids clothing, and I’d love to create some packaging for a make-up brand and work with Violette Fr. I’m quietly manifesting all of the above and once my youngest is in nursery, I’ll make it all happen in good time.
You can book a free ticket to Tessa's Darn a Jumper workshop at SAMPLE Spring here
I started out embroidering, embellishing and mending my own clothes. When friends and family (mostly my sister-in-law) asked me to add my designs to their holey clothes, I got such great feedback that I just kept going. The thing that really inspires me is how customers pretty much always tell me they love the new version of their clothes more with a visible mend.
My mission is to elevate and celebrate the art of repair. And to do so visibly with love and humour. I aim to offer a stylish and colourful way to invest in the clothes we already own and want to keep wearing.
Kate Sekules is a huge inspiration. I love her punk attitude, creativity and belief that all mends are equal–at least I think she believes that! She has created a global community of menders through #MendMarch and #VisibleRepair that encourages sharing, cheers and inspires.
Orsola de Castro at Fashion Revolution is also inspiring for being there before the rest and leading powerful campaigns that connect us to the people who make our clothes and textiles.
Claire Press: Wardrobe Crisis is another great one, never failing to deliver a great interview.
My friend Stephen's very holey Jumper. I remember seeing Stephen wearing it decades ago, but it had since been munched at vigorously by moths. Yet he kept it, unable to part with it. I had carte blanche to do whatever design I wanted, which is a dream. Being able to bring a cherished item back to life, create a new unique version and invent some characters is just brilliant.
The great thing about my visible mending service is that every commission I get is different. Every rip or hole or stain is different and every item has its own story, and I love hearing those stories.
We're delighted to announce that Yodomo has been awarded a £50,000 Hackney Central Plan: Impact and Ideas Fund, coordinated by The London Borough of Hackney, to deliver the Hackney Creative Reuse Project.
The Hackney Creative Reuse Project will connect local businesses with the well-established local maker community that is foundational to the history and development of Hackney.
Funding was confirmed in March 2022, and the Hackney Creative Reuse Project will begin in April 2022, continuing over the course of nine months with a series of community events and pilots across the borough.
The Hackney Creative Reuse Project connects Hackney businesses, makers, and communities, finding innovative solutions to reuse waste and surplus materials creatively. Premised on the logic of the circular economy, it seeks to provide practical solutions to reusing waste while benefiting the creative community and local businesses of Hackney.
Hackney’s community of makers is looking to reuse materials, and businesses urgently need to better dispose of the 43.9 million tonnes of commercial waste (Defra) produced in the UK each year. The project looks to better connect Hackney businesses to its creative community.
The Hackney Creative Reuse Project aims to consolidate a fragmented landscape by connecting local businesses looking for imaginative waste solutions to makers looking to reuse waste or surplus materials. This will be achieved through a series of free community events and pilots across the borough, hosted at locations including Fabrications, MakeTown, Anchor Retirement Homes and Well Space Community, over the course of nine months.
Through these events and pilots, businesses will be able to more easily communicate available materials to Hackney’s creative community, and makers will search for materials depending on their creative practice needs through a pilot microsite. It will also foster further community as makers and craftspeople share creative project ideas on how to use specific waste materials.
The funding will encourage new thinking around commercial waste and surplus materials currently destined for landfills or incineration, as well as consider solutions to logistical challenges around the storing and distribution of waste or surplus material that has the potential to be reused creatively.
Local businesses will have the opportunity to work with professional makers to devise useful and interesting projects to make use of specific waste materials, finding long-term waste solutions. These projects will also engage wider communities who can benefit from the health and wellbeing benefits of makings and crafts.
Surplus materials that until now have been considered valueless, or even a cost to brands and businesses, can be reimagined by makers into something of value. In the long term, the Hackney Creative Reuse Project will help businesses to find lasting circular economy solutions for their waste and simultaneously grow participation in making in Hackney which has other societal benefits around wellbeing and community.
Getting involved:
A number of 'participation in making' live events will be set up across Central Hackney using free materials. Events will use waste materials from local businesses and will be led by local makers who will share their expertise and creativity to show participants how they can rethink waste and engage in practical solutions to commercial waste. There will also be tailored workshops to support personal and professional wellbeing, establishing creative engagement opportunities across Hackney and bringing communities - old and new, creative and residential - together.
The project will help businesses work with local communities by driving footfall through live events across Central Hackney, alongside marketing activities related to their involvement in the project. It will also support businesses in finding creative ways to reuse waste and surplus materials while growing awareness of the local businesses and manufacturers in Hackney. For the people of Hackney, there will be immediate health and wellbeing benefits of engaging in crafts and making.
The project will also enable local people and communities to engage with climate action and learn about circular economy solutions for waste, giving them the opportunity to be part of a solution to an issue impacting their lives.
Long term, through promoting local business adoption of circular economy approaches, the project aims to tackle climate change and provide opportunities to generate new economic value, jobs and more resilient supply chains. It will also foster community within Hackney by connecting residents to local businesses and makers through the creative act of reuse.
Events will all be held in Central Hackney and participating organisations already include Fabrications, MakeTown, Anchor Retirement Homes and Well Space Community.
About Fabrications:
Established in June 2000 on Broadway Market, East London by Barley Massey, Fabrications has grown into a buzzing hub of creativity focusing on social textiles, upcycling and eco design through our shop, studio and classes. 22 years on our aim is still to inspire a joy of making whilst encouraging thoughtful and resourceful ways of living in a welcoming and creative environment.
If you are interested in hosting an event in Central Hackney then do please get in touch at the contact below.
The Impact and Ideas Fund is designed to support local businesses and organisations in playing a larger role in shaping the future of Hackney Central. The fund forms part of the Council's work on the new Hackney Central plan, enabling businesses to invest in and realise their own ideas to increase their economic and environmental resilience, as well improving the town centre as a whole.
Denim reuse (Fabrications)
Yodomo is a social venture growing participation in crafts to increase wellbeing and promote the understanding of reuse of materials. In our community and at yodomo.co, experts share skills with learners online and through events. Yodomo works with makers, supporting them to grow their practices sustainably, and encouraging reuse of materials where possible.
The word 'Yodomo' is a portmanteau of the words 'You Do More'. We encourage participation in crafts and making by bringing the expertise of independent artists and makers directly to you. Our makers teach either online, through kits or at live events.
Yodomo’s work falls into four key areas: Making and Reuse of Materials, Making and Wellbeing, Making in the Community and its professional programme - The Making a Living Programme™.
Learn more and sign up to become a Creative Reuse member here.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the Hackney Creative Reuse Project please contact: admin@yodomo.co
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I studied Fashion Business at London College of Fashion many years ago and in more recent years I found a love for being out in nature. I combined my interests and experiences to create The Little Allotment Company, which then led me to launch The Spring Beginner Kit and more recently rebrand and expand the range.
Behind the scenes at The Little Allotment Company, it is just me at this stage. I thoroughly enjoy all aspects of running a small business. I carefully put together all elements of the kits and package each individual order.
Here at The Little Allotment Company, we are passionate about providing carefully curated kit boxes with the environment in mind. We offer a sample variety of the finest organic seeds together with beautifully designed easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, to begin your gardening journey. All of our products, including packaging, are biodegradable, eco-friendly, recyclable and compostable.
My favourite kit is The Spring Beginner Kit. This was the first kit that we launched and has become our bestseller. It’s a great introduction to growing your own and is suitable for such a wide audience.
Currently, I am working on collaborative projects, planning for gardening shows coming up in the spring and summer, and a few new kits which I’m super excited to launch, including our kids' range.
Most of my spare time is spent up at our family allotment with my daughter, cooking homegrown produce and arranging flowers, which we both really love.
Trial products and ideas, gain feedback and host pop-ups to develop your range. Collaborate with others, believe in yourself and take time to out to be creative and inspired.
Rachel's completed paper cuts can also be found under the name Cut Scenes.
I developed some health issues and thought some crafting would be therapeutic. Before that, I had never done anything remotely creative, but within a year I learned several crafts. Paper cutting was my favourite as it was inexpensive, versatile and needed minimal space and tools.
Initially, I was just selling my paper cuts, but I would always get so many questions asking for tips, advice on tools and materials, etc. It also was such a pain having to buy all the things I needed from multiple places, so I decided to put it all together in one place. I bought a couple of paper cutting kits when I started but the instructions were minimal, the supplies weren’t the best quality, and the designs didn’t really seem to build skills from a beginner level. I decided to tackle these things with my own kits.
I found crafting so therapeutic but I really struggled to find good quality kits and materials when I was learning. I decided I wanted to make crafting more accessible, and I wanted to include only the same tools and materials that I would use myself. I was also tired of basic instructions in kits, so I decided I would provide really detailed guides that go beyond the basics - I want people who buy my kits to discover something new that they love doing and will want to keep doing. I have plans to extend to other crafts too.
90% of success with paper cutting is down to the tools and materials. Since I started nearly ten years ago, I’ve tried hundreds of types of paper - I now use one specific type, which has a high cotton content and a beautiful textured finish, for all my pieces. This is the same paper I use in my kits. I still try new things but always come back to this.
This map of London is probably my favourite work to date. It was the first really challenging map I tried and gave me the confidence to take it further.
My kits are designed for longevity. The tools will last years, and the guides will take you far beyond the designs in the kit. My aim is to really encourage beginners to find a new passion, and keep going with it.
I try to challenge myself with each new piece, so I’m often working on something that seems completely impossible at first… and then when it’s done I shoot for something more difficult. The map of Tokyo I’m working on now is easily the most difficult design I’ve ever done but I love it. I already have my next big piece designed and ready to go.
I have twins so I don’t get much spare time! If I have spare time, I’m making something - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, baking or paper cutting, usually while watching Netflix!
You can learn to do anything with enough practice. Things that seem impossible at first will be second nature after you put in the work. You don’t need innate talent - perseverance is more important. Pick something you love and it won’t feel like work at all.
For a unique date night that will yield more than a hangover, try your hands at a new skill this Valentine’s Day. Together with the love of your life, create a one-of-a-kind work of art, learn to draw (and really see) each other, get your hands deep in some sourdough and more. Give the gift of time well spent, because it’ll be spent together.
Contemplative and relaxing, suminagashi is an incredibly satisfying paper marbling process that yields the most beautiful results.
Why we love this suminagashi kit:
Why this suminagashi kit will make the perfect date night activity:
Pick up a suminagashi kit now.
Our penchant for terrible puns aside, baking a sourdough loaf with your significant other can be deeply satisfying and surprisingly fun. This particular kit is perfect for sourdough first-timers, with detailed instructions and videos that take all the guesswork out of the process.
Why we love this sourdough making kit:
Why making sourdough makes an ideal Valentine’s Day project
Grab your own sourdough making kit here
Go through this course with Jake Spicer of Draw Brighton, learn the techniques that can enable anyone to draw, then have fun trying to sketch one another. Want to make it spicier? Why not try life drawing one another.
Why we love this intro to drawing kit:
Why drawing each other would be a fun night in:
Pick up a Learn to Draw Kit and Course now
Making key fobs is a fun and sustainable activity, especially with this kit which uses off-cut leather. Do some adult crafting that yields something useful, and make each other personalised key fobs that will hold your keys handsomely.
Why we love this key fob kit:
Why making key fobs may be the key to a great Valentine’s Day
Get a leather key fob set for your Valentine’s Day activity now
Learn Kintsugi and learn to mend together
Make Boochi Kombucha and drink to both of your good health
Watch your love grow with this terrarium
It can be difficult to keep up with all the new sustainability news, especially when trying to balance personal lifestyle choices with your communal and global responsibilities. The sheer volume of sustainability topics to consider can be mind-boggling, so it’s no wonder many of us don’t know where to start. Some of the most common environmental problems within popular discourse include plastic pollution, deforestation, landfill and global warming. These topics are all important and undeniably linked to one another, and there are measures that can be taken in dealing with each of these. One such measure is what has been styled as the circular economy.
The circular economy attempts to extend the life of materials used for consumption for as long as possible, through various actions such as recycling materials, repairing products, and reusing whatever is at one’s disposal. This addresses sustainability in a few different ways: it reduces the amount of energy it takes to produce raw materials, it prevents things like deforestation and plastic production, and reclaims materials from consumer objects from landfills.
Landfills are sites used for the disposal of waste materials by burying them. Most waste materials end up in landfills, which increases due to improper ways of discarding rubbish. Landfills are a major contributor to pollution and break down at a significantly slower rate.
Whilst the pressure should be laid on major corporations and government bodies to restrict the amount of carbon and waste produced, it is also important to make environmentally conscious decisions as a consumer. And if, as a consumer, you’d like to be a part of the circular economy but aren’t sure how, we’ve got your back.
There are plenty of everyday measures you can take up, such as being mindful of how you use resources and considering the way you consume water, travel, use heat and use things that are created through manufactured procedures. But a concrete step which you can take, that we at Yodomo believe in, is to form the healthy habit of mending and repairing, as well as using reused materials that would otherwise find their way into landfills.
We’ve compiled our favourite kits and courses which use materials that were otherwise destined to end up in the bin, all from makers that practice sustainability in their unique ways. Be inspired to create whilst learning more about the use and reuse of materials, learn a new skill as you further develop your sense of mindfulness and nurture a deeper understanding of where things come from and how it’s made. Best of all, these activities offer instant gratification when you complete your project, making sustainability more rewarding than ever before.
MAKE YOUR OWN OFFSET WAREHOUSE ORGANIC FABRIC & SEW CUSHION COVER: COURSE + KIT
We partnered with one of our favourite ethical fabric suppliers to produce this one-off kit that uses off-cut textiles, saving it from landfills. Included in the kit is access to seamstress and teacher Barley Massey, whose ethos of repair and mend aligns perfectly with that of Yodomo. Her online course teaches you how to produce a cushion cover that’s easy and satisfying to make, the perfect project for starting your sustainability journey. For an edgier alternative, we also offer this kit with Hiut Denim off-cut fabric, a high-quality denim that promises to withstand all sorts of wear and tear.
MAKE YOUR OWN LEATHER CLUTCH BAG KIT: COURSE + KIT
Whilst leather is often a co- or by-product of the beef industry, the waste that comes from manufacturing leather goods still becomes a burden to landfills. That’s why makers who use leather offcuts are some of our favourites. With this particular kit, you get to transform a bit of this off-cut into a clutch bag as unique as you are. Pre-punched and pre-cut, all you have to do is follow the simple instructions to put together your leather clutch, then decorate it however you see fit. Will yours be geometric and bold? Will it have a catchy saying written across the leather? The choice is yours, and you’ll look so chic whilst working towards sustainability.
MAKE YOUR OWN SCALLOPED WALL DECORATION WITH DIAMOND CENTREPIECES: COURSE + KIT
This kit by Art Star is one of their effortlessly fun Hack Packs, which uses leftover paper from the printing industry. Pre-cut for this project, you can help save energy and reduce waste by turning these packs of colourful paper into a snazzy wall decoration, personalised with patterns of your choosing.
MAKE YOUR OWN LARGE WEAVING KIT & YARN: GUIDE + KIT
Shiv Textiles was founded on the premise of sustainability and reducing waste from the textile industry. With that in mind, this weaving kit comes with a large wood-cut loom made specially to be environmentally friendly, along with a selection of yarns and other materials rescued from British mills. Luxury materials that are helping reduce waste? Yes, please! You can read more about Shiv Textiles in our interview with founder Siobhan Martin and her mission to put an end to our throwaway culture here. Looking for a different size? See all the different kits that Shiv Textiles has to offer.
MAKE YOUR OWN UP-CYCLED HEART VALENTINES EMBROIDERY HOOP: KIT
A fun project for kids and adults alike, this simple and sustainable Valentine’s Embroidery Hoop uses off-cut leather to make a cute hangable work of art that helps express all of your loving sentiments. You can choose from pre-cut leather hearts or letters, and there is even a vegan option that uses off-cuts of gold pineapple skin “leather”.
The most versatile embroidery kit that offers so many design ideas and materials, this one-of-a-kind pouch uses materials recycled from art projects. That means every pouch is unique in design, but they all contain an incredible amount of tools and materials to get you stitching and creating your own beautiful embroideries.
Siobhan Martin brings sustainability and creativity together in her fine homewares, weaving kits and other products.
]]>Shiv Textiles was born in my bedroom in 2017 after I finished university and moved back in with my parents. As an intern for big-name brands in the textiles and fashion industry, I was shocked by the amount of perfectly good materials going to waste. And I knew there had to be a better way. Fast fashion needs to take its foot off the pedal.
So I began contacting mills and factories, buying their yarns, zips, threads, buttons – all destined for landfill – by the kilogram. And it’s from this that all those cushions, scarves and weaving kits are created. This process never gets beige-and-boring. You have to think on your feet. Design with what you have. Every box of upcycled materials that lands in my studio feels like a small victory.
I've love art and design since I was a child, and I was very lucky that my parents understood this. I took all art and design subjects at A-Level, even though my secondary school wasn’t very happy about it. After school I did an Art Foundation Course at UCA. This was the best option for me as I didn't really know if I wanted to do photography, fine art or textiles. If you have the opportunity to do this year course before going to university, DO IT! I fell in love with textiles on this course, but it wasn't until I went to the University of Brighton that I fell in love with weaving! I spent 4 years, with a year placement in my 3rd year, specialising in woven textiles.
I work with mills and factories across the UK, rescuing their deadstock materials destined for landfill – yarn, zips, selvedges, buttons and more – and handcrafting it into fine homewares, lifestyle accessories and sustainable weaving kits for you to give a new life at home.
All products are designed, woven, sewn and finished by me in my Brighton studio. Most are handwoven 4 to 16 shaft loom, while fabric samples are developed further and woven on a Dornier Rapier loom.
We work hard to make our supply chain as low-impact as possible. My business carbon footprint is really important to me. Our weaving kits are laser cut locally from environmentally friendly plywood. The whole process of warping, weaving, finishing and processing, all takes place within a 1-mile radius. I am proud to make my products locally in Brighton. Our cushions' inners are custom made by a family run business on the outskirts of North West London. We also offset our carbon footprint by supporting tree-planting programmes through Ecologi.
I’ve always wanted to have my own business and work for myself since I was really young. I interned for a range of different sized businesses whilst in university, well-known brands and independent businesses. I saw what was possible if you work hard and follow what you love from the smaller and independent businesses and thought it was definitely for me!
We are on a mission to throw away our throwaway culture.
My studio is about weaving sustainability into the textiles industry. By putting a modern spin on a traditional craft, I want to show that it’s possible for us to enjoy pieces you cherish while minimising the impact we have on the planet too.
My most recent collection and favourite of woven textiles is “Time Warp”. It was dreamed up in the grey days of lockdown. This cheerful graphic collection was like a break in the clouds. It was a time of departure for me, and that really comes across in Time Warp, as she steps away from pared-back, rustic designs in favour of a fun, fresh twist on 70s style. Guaranteed to make you smile.
Deadstock yarn is my best friend. I love sourcing materials from British mills and factories. I love the process of finding, talking to and upcycling British mill waste. I work with a lot of lambswool as its natural, durable and biodegradable.
I created the weaving kit I sell today after being made redundant from my fashion job as we went into the first Lockdown, so it's close to my heart. I wanted to introduce people to the art of weaving, to why I love it so much and how they could enjoy the craft too. I wanted to highlight the processes behind fabric production, getting people to be creative with a weaving project and helping them to value their clothing and textiles and the work that goes into making them. This kit has been designed to inspire and help get your creative juices flowing, whether you’re embarking on a new hobby or looking to hone your skills. Some aspects of woven textiles can appear tricky to get your head around. So I teamed up with one of my best friends who is an illustrator, who was in Lockdown on the other side of the world, living in Yangon, Myanmar at the time. I wanted to make weaving accessible and fun for everyone.
Another reason I wanted to share my love of weaving is the positive effect it can have on mental wellbeing. Crafting has been proven to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, loneliness and even dementia. Not everyone is able to visit workshops or join courses, so I wanted to create a weaving kit that is suitable for all ages and abilities to use from the comfort of the home.
I fell back in love with colour during lockdown down, so I’ll be working more with colour in 2022. I would love to develop more face-to-face weaving workshops and host more craft events and pop-ups going forward as Covid has stopped me from meeting the public and sharing my love of sustainable textiles in person.
Rome wasn’t built in the day! Making and learning a skill takes time and effort, enjoy the processes and celebrate your successes!
How do you pursue a dream that will help make a positive difference in the world? Laura Rana's story insight insight into the transformative power of creativity.
]]>I first moved to Bangladesh in 2009, and I’ve lived there on and off ever since. I’ve been inspired endlessly by the mothers I met, who do everything they can to give their children the best possible start in life.
When I became pregnant with my half-British, half-Bangladeshi twins while working in Bangladesh (on the humanitarian response to the Rohingya refugee crisis), the disparity between what I would be able to provide for my daughters, in comparison with the struggles of the mothers all around me, really hit home for me. I wanted to do something about it.
When my girls were born back home in London, my mother- and sister-in-law presented us with a beautiful collection of traditional Bengali ‘kantha’ blankets, which they had hand-stitched, with the support of neighbours and friends. They quickly proved to be useful for pretty much every task on my daily parenting to-do list, and people kept stopping me in the street asking where they came from! I realised there could be a market for them, and this was how I could create opportunities for mothers in Bangladesh to provide for their children with dignity….and the idea for ‘Khushi Kantha’ was born!
All mothers want the best for their children – and will use every resource they have to offer them the future they deserve. Motherhood is the most rewarding job in the world – but it’s also the hardest. Every day brings new challenges. For some, these challenges include being able to meet basic needs, like food, clothing and education.
Khushi Kantha aims to create opportunities for mothers in Bangladesh to provide for their children with dignity. Our children will inherit the planet – we want to pass it down to them in the best state possible. Khushi Kantha promotes the circular economy – we want to promote a shift from ‘take-make-waste’ to ‘reclaim-repurpose-reuse’.
I was really lucky to get accepted onto the Cambridge Social Ventures incubator when my daughters were just a few months old. The training and mentoring I received help me develop my initial idea, and I was excited to head to Bangladesh and set up production. Then COVID-19 happened – and I realised I wasn’t going anywhere fast.
However, I knew I needed to start testing the market asap. Having spent my twenties and early thirties living and working all over the world through my career in international development and humanitarian aid, I’ve encountered lots of well-meaning projects like mine that ultimately failed to become sustainable because there wasn’t enough demand for what they were selling.
We created a first, limited-edition collection of blankets in London, with support from an incredible group of volunteer stitchers (all mothers themselves) connected to the South London Scrubbers, with advice from local kantha expert Surjeet Hussain and brilliant pro-bono support from a product safety lawyer. Selling the blankets through an online auction in November 2020 gave me the funds and encouragement to keep going - and start figuring out how to establish production in Bangladesh. Five months later, we ran a rewards-based crowdfunding campaign, which launched on International Mother Earth Day, raising over £10,000 from 217 supporters to create our first collection of Happy Blankets.
It was through the Cambridge Social Ventures incubator that I met Sophie from Yodomo. I’d been thinking about other rewards to offer through our crowdfunding campaign – in addition to the blankets themselves – and various people had suggested they’d be interested in learning how to make their own Khushi Kantha. I was so honoured when Sophie suggested that Yodomo would be interested in hosting our workshop!
We’re reworking the traditional Bengali ‘kantha’ approach of upcycling old cotton saris into super-soft, multi-layered blankets, in order to meet global hygiene and safety standards, while keeping true to its circular principles of ‘reclaim, repurpose and reuse’, and bringing Bangladesh’s rich textiles heritage to a wider audience.
Our blankets are made up of four layers of 100% cotton fabric. On the outside, we use hand-dyed, traditional handloom fabric, sourced from Prabartana, and we’re partnering with sustainably-minded members of the Bangladeshi garments sector to breathe new life into what’s known as ‘deadstock’ fabric, by upcycling it as the inside layers of our blankets.
Our embroidery designs embrace a sense of ‘East meets West’, combining traditional Bengali ‘kantha’ stitching and animal motifs with geometric patterns and a modern colour palette.
My background is in the not-for-profit sector – I’ve worked for ‘big name’ charities like Save the Children and the British Red Cross, as well as tiny organisations doing incredibly things on shoestring budgets. Khushi Kantha is a social enterprise rather than a charity because I passionately believe that a social enterprise model is the most sustainable approach to achieving our goal of building better futures for the next generation.
I see sustainability as multi-dimensional:
Firstly, there’s our production approach, which is inspired by the Bengali ‘kantha’ tradition and its principles of circularity – and embraces the concept of ‘handmade with love’, to limit carbon consumption - from the handwoven, hand-dyed fabric we use for the outside layers of our blankets, to the hand-embroidered names the mothers stitch into each blanket they make.
Secondly, we want to enable the mothers we’re partnering with to use their existing skills and draw on their cultural heritage to earn sustainable incomes. From my many years of experience of working with struggling communities in Bangladesh and beyond, I’ve learned that families are only able to start making the kinds of decisions that will really lift them out of poverty if they are able to generate incomes that they can rely on, month in, month out. I’ve faced lots of ethical dilemmas along the way, but I’ve tried to make every decision with sustainability in mind. I’ve ultimately realised that we can’t rely on ‘pity purchases’ – rather, we want to reframe the meaning of the words ‘made in Bangladesh’, and turn them into a statement of pride and happiness.
We’re regenerating the beautiful Bengali ‘kantha’ tradition in a way that stays true to its circular principles, but also means we can meet product safety standards. Our blankets are safety-tested against the British and European safety standard BS EN 16779-1:2018.
We describe our Happy Blankets as ‘embroidered with empowerment, from mother to mother’ – and this phrase is more than just a ‘tagline’ for us.
For example, the labels we hand-stitch into our blankets feature the geo-coordinates of the village in North-West Bangladesh where they are made, along with the name of the mother who made the blanket, and the blanket’s unique number, both of which are hand-embroidered onto the label. Each Khushi Kantha comes with a packaging insert feature the photo and story of the individual mother who stitched it. These special touches have been lots of work – and very expensive, given the scale we’re currently operating at versus the minimum order quantities suppliers have in place! – but we hope that they’re helping to build a global community of mothers. As we wrap up our first collection, one of our next priorities will be to establish a process for the mothers who make our blankets and the mothers who buy them for their little ones to communicate directly with each other.
By now, we should all know the benefits of making with our hands: it revitalises the mind and reduces anxiety and stress, it helps us relax after working in front of a screen and it gives us a better understanding of how materials are used so that we’re more mindful of waste. When you engage in crafts, you can learn a new creative skill whilst stimulating your creativity so that even as you unwind, you’ll be supporting your mental wellbeing.
We've all had a difficult few months, so we deserve to focus on making the loads we've taken on lighter. And what better way to do that than to resolve to spend more time honing our creativity? For those curious about how to inject more mindful making into their life, we've gathered some of our favourite creative kits that will help jumpstart creativity. Whether you’re a veteran to crafty projects and need something new and exciting to dive into, or whether you want to dip your toes in to see whether it’s right for you, our independent instructors and makers offer the ideal kits and courses for all levels.
We love this kit because it's easy to get into, fun to personalise and creates a functional and unique planter that adds colourful character to any mantel or window sill. Created by artist Amy Louise Davis of Alou, this kit comes with step-by-step video instructions and acts as a fantastic introduction to both air-dry clay and random weave. Get acquainted with these techniques and create your very own objects using these endlessly applicable materials!
Another type of clay that proves to be a wonderful way to get started with creativity, this polymer clay tealight candle and photo holder set is easy and fun to make, and stimulates your imagination with all the other possibilities presented by these materials. Add some colour to your desk arrangement with these adorable knickknacks that you'll be proud to have made with your own two hands.
Who doesn't love fluffy oversized pom poms? This kit gives you all the tools and know-how to create satisfying, colourful pom poms so that you can discover just how fun and addictive this craft is. Best of all, it's sustainable, using minimal plastic and yarn that's made of 100% merino wool.
Ever wanted to look like a fairy goddess floating about in her woodland kingdom? This dazzlingly colourful dried flower headdress kit comes with everything you need to make this come true. With video instructions by Lulujoelle, this project is perfect for festivals or fancy dress, or else just for sitting around feeling magical.
The tradition of weaving goes back many millennia. It was used for story-telling and the creation of both ornamental and practical artefacts, making this practice of particular historical significance. Revive the tradition with this all-inclusive kit that comes with sustainable wool from British mills, wood-burned loom and other tools, crafted and put together by textile artist Shiv of Shiv Textiles.
Starting a new creative business in 2022? Here are ten things you'll want to consider when you're starting out.
]]>If you’ve been thinking about starting up a business focused on your creative practice, consider this your sign to get started. And if you already have a creative business, be sure that these 10 aspects of a successful business have been considered so that 2022 will be your best year yet.
Want to get a comprehensive crash course in creating a home-based business with first-hand insight from the best creative businesses and their founders? Pick up a copy of Making a Living: How to Craft Your Business by Sophie Rochester or join the Making a Living Programme to be a part of the community that will help your idea thrive.
Every business needs to have a clearcut goal in order to achieve results. Your business might have one simple goal, or it might have many overlapping aims, but clearly spelling out what it is you hope to achieve is the first step in producing a concrete business plan that will enable you to construct your creative business. In order to do this, it’s important to understand the motivations behind starting your business. Do you want to share a unique skill with the world and enable them to discover how rewarding a certain craft is? Are you trying to revive a craft that has otherwise been buried under years of disuse? Or do you want to incite creative cultural exchange? Decide what your objectives are, and remember them throughout each step of your planning process.
Your audience might range from complete beginners to your craft, to those who are seeking to become masters themselves. They might want to pick up a creative skill for the sake of leisure, or else they may be interested in purchasing unique products from independent makers. Figure out who your main audience is to better understand how to brand yourself, and to hone your use of language to their needs.
A pain point for many creatives but oh, so necessary, proper budgeting helps you track the material aspects of your business that keeps it running smoothly. It also helps you better understand what you should be charging for your services or products. Your business needs to be sustainable so that you can continue reading your goals, so keeping budget in mind from the very beginning is good practice. There are many helpful budgeting templates available online, including templates available via our Making a Living Programme.
Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash
Where do you source materials from? What resources, both free and paid-for, are available to your creative business? And which resources are worth investing in? Whilst the answers to these questions will differ from business to business, it is important to consider them before starting out, and continually as you build your brand. You will likely already be knowledgeable about where to source materials specific to your craft, but as your business progresses, you might find some suppliers who offer bulk discounts, or others that can provide sustainability credentials. You may also find towards the beginning of your journey that there are some aspects of business best taken care of by yourself or by using free software, but as it grows, it may be worth your while to put money towards business management or commerce products that will make your life easier.
One of the major shifts in society in recent years is the focus on sustainability. As a creative practitioner, you might already focus on sustainability without even realising it. One of the best things about making with your hands is its affinity with slow living. Making also helps participants understand the use of materials and what goes into the creation of things. With all this in mind, think about what sets your practice apart in terms of sustainability. How does it help the planet, or what makes its impact on the environment a good one? Hone your messaging to reflect this, and opt for materials that help you achieve sustainability goals. It’s not just for your own conscience, either; studies show that sustainability is one of the most important factors when choosing a product to buy.
You can read more about how Yodomo makers take sustainability into account through the use of recycled or dead stock materials, practicing mending instead of replacing and more.
Image from Grow Your Own Colour Kit
We love creative businesses because they offer so much more than just commerce. There is a whole world of social impact that your business can affect, and getting both the messaging and implementation of this right is vital for the success of your business. This goes hand-in-hand with your aims and objectives, where considering the desired social impact can help you lay out your goals and produce a business plan. And if social impact is a part of your business from its very initiation, you’ll find it that much easier to create messaging around this for the sake of marketing.
In the age of social media and digital marketing, the ways to get your product seen are endless. You likely want to start off with social media that builds on your existing network of friends, family and followers. This will provide a great backbone to build your following and a base of repeat customers that you can continually market towards. Once everything else is in place, you may want to put some spend behind advertising. Be prepared to do some testing here as it often takes a bit of trial and error to get the right combination of words, imagery, parameters and timing. Once you’ve gotten it right, it’s just a matter of tweaking it in line with updates with the platforms you use.
There is, of course, so much more to consider when marketing your product, including brand design, public relations, collaborations, SEO, newsletters... The list goes on. To get a comprehensive overview of marketing for creative businesses, take a look at Making a Living: How to Craft Your Business.
A community of like minded people is a great resource for finding support and tapping into knowledge of those who likely have gone through similar steps as you. There are so many groups of creatives and business owners alike who may be able to share their stories at all stages of their journey, and to whom you may want to lend a helping hand. Social media provides a great place for this type of social interaction if there aren’t any physical places near you that you can take advantage of.
If you’re looking for a community of creative business owners or makers who are looking to start their business, we recommend our own Making a Living Programme, which gives you access to valuable templates for your business as well as a community to help you on your journey.
If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that resilience and adaptability is a must when it comes to business. COVID-19 threw many of the best businesses for a loop, and those who were able to rally weren’t necessarily the ones with the most resources but the ones who were able to adjust according to the new and ever-changing situations at hand. Think about how you might adapt your business if issues such as new trade laws, lockdown restrictions or licensing regulations come about that might affect your business. You needn’t propose a full-fledged solution, but it’s wise to consider how you might go about creating a plan to navigate tricky terrain.
If all goes well, at some point, you may need to scale your business in order to satisfy a growing customer base. Figuring out how to scale your business is a good problem to have, but knowing that it’s possible to do so is necessary in order to plan out a business that has potential to grow. It is also important to ensure that your aims are continually fulfilled as you scale your business, so that you don’t lose quality or the essence of your creative practice when you grow.
Let them make their own boldly colourful necklace, give them a kit so they can design their own leather clutch bag, tuck into some macrame fun and more. Read on for gifts that'll make her smile.
Colourful and fun, this easy-to-follow creative course by Shoorah Shoorah teaches you the skills you need to make your own two-tone rope necklace.
By the end of the course, you'll learned how to:
In this step-by-step photography course, you'll learn to make a spiral macramé plant hanger with Katie from By-Me.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
This simply designed envelope clutch, taught by Love and Salvage is the perfect canvas for your creativity. You get to be the designer, as you research, plan, paint and sew your own unique bag. Let the compliments roll in and astonish your admirers when you tell them you made your clutch bag by yourself, from scratch.
Perfect for beginners who have never crocheted in their lives as well as those who are looking to brush up on their skills, this workshop is designed to teach you how to crochet a completed plant pot whilst picking up expert crocheting skills.
Through step-by-step tutorial and expert advice by textile master Heather Orr, you'll learn how to properly use a crochet hook, create stitches, make chains with simple techniques and understand the basics of crocheting, providing you with the skills to continue trying out new crochet projects.
The London Refinery crafts natural scented candles by blending essential oils and soy wax. Their aim is to bring nature’s work into the modern-day by creating simple, healthy and natural candles that are free from petrochemicals and synthetic fragrances. Each of their candles has a refined scent to create different emotions and enhance wellbeing.
In this online course + kit, through step-by-step instructions and accompanying photographs, Lucy, the founder of The London Refinery, will guide you through the process of making their 'Relax', Lavender, Rose Geranium natural soy wax candle at home - in the same way they hand pour their candles at The London Refinery.
Weaving is a great craft to start with. The repetitive nature of the over and under motions will have you settled down into a relaxing evening in record time. No patterns are used in this style of weaving, and so let the intuitive and practice of mindfulness and colour take you on a satisfying journey. Taught by Make Town.
The art of floating ink on water to make beautiful designs can be traced back to the 12th century. Its origins are a mystery; some sources believe it came from China, possibly discovered by some unknown calligrapher as they dipped their inky brush into water. It is also said to have been a type of divination game at the Imperial Japanese court.
This form of paper marbling is simple and you don’t need artistic skill or training to achieve some lovely patterns. It can also be quite meditative, making for an absorbing craft for any age. The resulting decorated papers can be used for many different projects such as bookbinding or origami. Taught by Sarah Amatt.
Make kombucha at home with this kit and get a continuous supply of delicious and healthy kombucha tea again and again.
BooChi's kombucha kits are certified organic and come with everything you need to ferment your own kombucha, with full instructions in the kit on how to brew your first 3 litres of Boo Chi organic kombucha from home.
This kit was featured on the BBC One Show in January 2020 along with the benefits of drinking kombucha.
Crumb Sourdough have assembled the ultimate do-it-all package for the home baker - complete with step-by-step instructions. The 13-piece kit has all the hardware and all the ingredients you will ever need to make perfect sourdough from scratch, including a wonderful live sourdough starter.
As well as step by step instructions Crumb will also send you 'how to' videos which take all the guesswork and legwork out of baking sourdough. Crumb are also on hand via email to guide you and answer any of your questions.
Sourdough starters are notoriously tricky and time consuming to make from scratch. Crumb Sourdough's starter, which has been the basis of brilliant sourdough loaves for over two decades, takes all the guesswork and legwork out of the process so you can hit the ground running.
Delivered in its own lidded bowl, which will be its permanent home, the starter is ready to go from the outset. It will live in your fridge, and with a little care will last forever. The kit also comes with flour for its first feed and detailed instructions.
Designed with care, craft and meticulous attention to detail by celebrated ceramicist, Billy Lloyd, The Cult Vinegar Vase is a stylish and contemporary vessel to create your own healthy, delicious living vinegar.
Conceived on a wedding wine hunt in Burgundy, designed in London and lovingly crafted in Stoke on Trent; the Vinegar Vase will keep on giving for a lifetime.
The Cult Vinegar Vase is cast by hand in porcelain and comes as a kit with all you need to help you start your vinegar journey.
As a young bookbinder, I became intrigued by the marbled papers on the old books I was repairing. I began to research the subject in various libraries; The Rosamond B Loring Collection at Harvard Library in Cambridge, Mass. was one where I spent many hours poring over specimens and books. The British Library housing the Olga Hirsch Collection and St Bride’s printing library in Fleet Street were two other favourites. I experimented to see if I could re-create the papers, especially the finely combed patterns. After a lot of practice I started making and selling Turkish marbled papers, mainly to binders but also to publishers and retail brands for copyright designs.
More recently, after another career as a therapist, I returned to marbling but this time I was drawn to the pared-back, elegant patterns achieved with suminagashi; their simplicity often concealing a depth not always obvious on first glance. The nature of creating a piece of suminagashi is the opposite from making a piece of Turkish marbling, the latter being a fairly controlled process whereby the same pattern can be repeated many times. Suminagashi is more aligned with allowing the materials to do what they do with a little shaping on my part if it feels right.
In the early days, there was a lot of trial and error to find inks that performed – i.e. didn’t sink! – on the water. My experience as a Turkish paper marbler helped me work with the rather mercurial nature of floating a water-based ink on water. I found bottled Japanese calligraphy ink worked well. I also discovered that ink ground from Japanese ink sticks on a suzuri (grinding stone) gave subtle variations too. The paper needs to absorb the ink so western printing paper is suitable but washi – Japanese paper – is the best. The materials for creating suminagashi, unsurprisingly, mostly come from Japan.
The beauty of suminagashi is the degree of control that you don’t have when you create a pattern. The process is led by allowing the ink to reveal a design as it floats on the water so my approach is to work intuitively with the ink and sometimes that might be with some small interventions such as gently fanning the air above the water. Other variations might involve moving the water by stirring it with a stick or blowing across the surface resulting in eddies and ripples that shift the ink into new designs. Sometimes I use a ground, black ink that has a beautiful, brown, warm hue to it alongside another ink which has a blueish tone to give a subtle pattern.
A collaboration with Art Light Design Studio on the Isle of Mull. I was staying there last summer and discovered their studio full of beautiful light panels using mokuhanga prints (a type of Japanese wood engraving). They hand build each light panel using oak and LED lighting. The studio came up with a floor lamp design using my suminagashi in a hand-made oak frame which is just stunning. I enjoyed the experience of producing a suminagashi piece to fit a brief and then see the end product materialise! https://www.artlightdesignstudios.com/collection
I’m beginning to plan some workshops, now that I can, which I’m looking forward to. Previous courses that I’ve taught have been practical and enjoyable. Students are quick to pick up the techniques and try out their own ideas on a small trough, moving on to a larger scale if they want to. I’ve taught other craftspeople, such as jewellers and basket makers, as well as folk who simply enjoy learning a new craft.
As is often the case when people get into ‘the flow’, they experience a mindful activity, focusing on what’s in front of them and finding that this absorption takes them away from their everyday concerns. Years ago, I taught Turkish marbling at summer school and the feedback often reflected the enjoyment that the (adult) students found at leaving their cares at the door to spend a day or three discovering their creative selves. Informed by my 12 years working as a counsellor, I’d like to offer these workshops as an invitation to re-discover a place of stillness within, a treasure house to create from. In the words of Anni Albers, ‘I want to make things for the contemplative mind, for those moments when you sink back into yourself’.
Nature, art and music. I like to walk in the countryside near my cottage in the Borderlands here in South Shropshire. Noticing the passing seasons, especially in the trees, which are transformed from their muscular, wintry silhouettes to fully clothed, leafy glory. Autumn is a particular favourite time of the year when the leaves change into myriad colours. We are lucky to have plenty of wildlife here such as buzzards, kestrels, muntjac, hares, foxes and roe deer. The landscape is shaped by previous generations who have left iron age hillforts, standing stones, drovers’ routes and whetstones to intrigue us. In Japan, Suminagashi patterns often reflected nature such as maple leaves floating on a pool, woodgrain or a river flowing through a valley. I guess this relationship between nature and art is one of the compelling qualities I am drawn to in this art.
I love to see exhibitions too; Waqas Khan, Barbara Hepworth, Howard Hodgkin, William Scott and a visit to Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge is always satisfying! The decorated papers of Tirzah Garwood (in the MMU Library) have long been an inspiration to me – she was a unique artist. Composers that I like to listen to, not necessarily when I’m making, include Arvo Part and Eric Whitacre and pretty much anything acoustic on spotify.
I've always been creative and loved crafting as a kid. I taught myself to crochet about 10 years ago as I wanted to make some little toys and gifts for my kids and nephews. I loved how relaxing and mindful it was so it just stuck as my go-to craft.
Stitching Me Softly was born after the birth of my third child after making some items for her and other people wanting to buy them. This then grew into me teaching crochet workshops locally and sending craft packs to those who couldn't make it to the class. This gave me the idea to turn some of my favourite makes into craft kits and these have taken off so well that they are now the main focus of the business. My aim is to inspire creativity in other people and to encourage them to try something new. I love how proud everyone feels after making something for themselves.
I love to fill my kits with high quality sustainable materials. My favourites are the recycled cotton cords from Bobbiny.
I try to only design projects that would be used and enjoyed over and over again, and source suitable sustainable materials where possible.
On top of all the lovely sustainable materials inside the kits, all of my packaging is recycled and carries the FSC mark, plus I plant 1 tree for every craft kit sold.
Pssst. We’ve got a doozy of a competition for you to enter.
]]>The holidays are the perfect time to unwind in front of a cosy fireplace with the drink of your choice and lose yourself in craft. That’s why we’ve put together our favourite kits from our incredible independent makers in this MEGA GIVEAWAY worth over £700, with more than 20 creative projects and kits to try out. Plus, they’ll make fabulous presents for the makers in your life. (Don’t worry, we won’t tell them that you got the gifts for free 🤫)
Want to get your hands on the prize? Here’s all that you have to do:
🧶 Simply sign up to our newsletter (or enter your email if you're already signed up)
FOR A BONUS ENTRY:
🧶 Head to our Instagram, like this post and tag someone you want to share an evening crafting with
Here are the amazing contents of our giveaway:
This competition is open to the UK only. It is in no way sponsored or endorsed by Instagram. By entering, you are confirming that you are 18+ years of age, agree to Instagram's terms of use and release Instagram of any and all responsibility. Competition closes midnight Sunday 12 December 2021. The winner will be announced shortly after. Prizes will be sent out individually by each participating maker so may arrive at different times. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash or for alternative products.
Good luck and happy making!
]]>Taught by Ranj of Studio Ranj, kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramic by mending with a mixture of resin and gold-coloured powder, reborn into a piece that would be otherwise destined for the bin. This kit is perfect for anyone looking to benefit from the healing & symbolic process of kintsugi or looking to repair much-loved pieces from their collection in a unique and beautiful way.
Make kombucha at home with this kit and get a continuous supply of delicious and healthy kombucha tea again and again.
BooChi's kombucha kits are certified organic and come with everything you need to ferment your own kombucha, with full instructions in the kit on how to brew your first 3 litres of Boo Chi organic kombucha from home.
This kit was featured on the BBC One Show in January 2020 along with the benefits of drinking kombucha.
Hester van Overbeek shows you 23 ways to update your wooden furniture and home accessories, all with step-by-step photos to guide you along the way. Projects range from simpler ideas, such as a table made from stacked old magazines, to larger pieces like the window shutters, which you can create for a fraction of the price it would cost to buy them new. Discover how to make your own four-poster bed by combining a budget bed base and pieces of reclaimed wood, or convert a bookcase into a sideboard.
Learn how to draw with artist Jake Spicer. Suitable for all ages and abilities, this video course will teach you fundamental drawing techniques and how to let go of your inhibitions, so you can forever put pencil to paper with confidence.
Taught by Emma Mapp cyanotypes, also known as sun prints, are a unique type of analogue printmaking and photography that does not require a camera or an expensive darkroom.
Engineers used the process well into the 20th century as a simple and low-cost process to produce copies of drawings, referred to as blueprints.
The printing process is accessible, super easy and you will be able to create a stunning final work of art with its signature Prussian blue colour within minutes!
Designed with care, craft and meticulous attention to detail by celebrated ceramicist, Billy Lloyd, The Cult Vinegar Vase is a stylish and contemporary vessel to create your own healthy, delicious living vinegar.
Conceived on a wedding wine hunt in Burgundy, designed in London and lovingly crafted in Stoke on Trent; the Vinegar Vase will keep on giving for a lifetime.
The Cult Vinegar Vase is cast by hand in porcelain and comes as a kit with all you need to help you start your vinegar journey.
The ideal gift for friends, family, or if you just fancy a little project for yourself. Taught by String Together, this kit is also a great art therapy, you can just totally zone out and get lost in creation! Perfect for beginners, children, teens, crafters, and anyone else who wants to join in the fun! Once finished you can either hang it on the wall with the hanger provided, display it standing on a desk or shelf, or even give it to someone as a gift.
I discovered this embroidery technique by chance after spotting a post on social media and I was immediately hooked. I spent hours teaching myself and perfecting my technique using numerous fabrics, hoops and yarn until I found the right combinations. I found that with other crafts, I tended to get bored easily if the finished products took too long to make, but with needle punching you can see results in a couple of hours.
I found needle punching very relaxing but also relatively easy to learn. Unfortunately, when I started needle punching, I found it very difficult to find punch needle supplies or kits, so in July 2019 I decided to open my shop to offer just that. Not only do I try and offer unique designs but I also aim to include quality yet affordable supplies.
I draw inspirations from various sources of everyday life around me as well as from social media, which helps me stay tuned to what people are interested in.
I see myself continuing to create kits for all the different punch needles out there. I am also working on a selection of punch needle pillow kits. I think I will keep exploring and experimenting with new materials, textures and techniques.
Enjoy the process, take it easy and don’t overthink it! There are many tutorials, kits and resources out there to help you get started. Take it at your own pace, accept mistakes and experiment with different yarns and textures but, most of all, have fun. Remember - Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Be open to making creative mistakes, as it's the mistakes which open up an abundance of opportunities.
I particularly like to work with more malleable materials such as wire and rope, because they enable my sculptures and vessels to take on more organic and free flowing characteristics.
I'd say it's got to be a piece called Metamorphosis, which is a pink nest-like sculpture which is inspired by the regeneration and evolving of the former Spode ceramic factory site in Stoke-on-Trent.
Once I completed my BTEC at college, I then went on to study an Embroidery BA (Hons) at university. It was there I not only started to become more and more curious about materials so often overlooked by society, but I also started to recognise the importance of making and how it can be used as a tool to relax and unwind.
I absolutely love a gig or two, but I also love spending time with my two French Bulldogs, Smidge and Beau.
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