Makers With A Mission Autumn 2020

By Charlotte Gilks

Makers with a Mission

Supporting makers has always been at the heart of what we do. Our Makers with a Mission residency gives early stage creatives and startups an opportunity to explore their practice on their own terms. Whether they need time to explore and test material processes, iterate designs or develop a business model. This residency is an opportunity to get started as a professional maker without committing to high overheads.

Our focus is on Makers who are value driven and are looking to challenge society’s ideas and behaviours through the things they make. They might be exploring disruptive manufacturing processes, design for climate change or innovating within healthcare. All projects have an ethical, sustainable or social agenda at their core.

Read more about our latest cohort here…

Salty Co

What is your current mission?

SaltyCo is a textile manufacturer whose mission is to explore novel agricultural methods for the production of plant-based products. At the core of this mission is a belief that the pursuit of raw materials should bring only positive social and environmental change.

To achieve this, we make textiles using fibres extracted from a group of super-sustainable salt-tolerant plants. Our first product offering is an alternative to goose-down that is both petroleum, animal and freshwater free.

Why is this mission important now?

The production of modern natural and synthetic textiles is grossly unsustainable and it is pushing our natural resources to their limits. The textile industry produces more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined, makes up 10% of all industrial freshwater use whilst polluting our environment with microplastics and petrochemicals. Consumers deserve the option of buying truly sustainable textiles and we want to provide brands with alternatives that make great products whilst helping to heal our environment.

What inspires you?

Only a few days ago it was reported that the rate of Greenland’s ice caps melting is matching the estimated worst-case scenarios. In the coming decades we are going to be seeing more coastal flooding, more extreme weather patterns and a surge in environmental migrants. We are acutely aware that we need to be making products that don’t just mitigate climate change, but actively fight against it. Our venture at SaltyCo is being built with the understanding that our supply chains need to be underpinned by resilience to ensure success within a green economy. We’re designing products that don’t rely on conventional natural supplies such as freshwater, enabling these precious resources to be redirected to the areas they’re needed most.

What is your aim during this residency?

This residency is going to be a critical time for us to take our proof-of-concept through a complete pilot programme, ready for commercialisation. The access to workshops and offices at Makerversity will enable us to have the resources we need to make this process as fast as possible. We’re also really excited to be surrounded by all the other amazing ventures currently in residence, and can’t wait to be a part of this community!

Visible

What is your current mission?

Our mission is to end sexual harassment on public transport.

Why is this mission important now?

The reopening of London life has given the city a chance to modernise and adapt to a new way of living. Shattering the acceptance and normalisation of harassment on the Tube should be a part of this “new normal”.

What inspires you?

We are inspired by the thousands of London women who put up with so much. We put up with overpriced cocktails, we put up with sticky summers, we put up with the possibility of renting forever. And we put up with harassment because we’re just trying to get to work. Women’s resilience is amazing, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept the situation for what it is.

We are inspired by every woman who refuses to stay silent in the face of adversity.

What is your aim during this residency?

We are most excited by the learning programmes and the chance to meet like minded creators and mentors. We are hoping to achieve long lasting connections which can help drive us forward.

Oscar Riley

What is your current mission?

My mission is to create a community of people displaying their individuality through personalised expression on clothing. To be at the forefront of a new wave of creativity and to provide the tools for young people to customise old clothes giving it a second life.

Why is this mission important now?

Fast fashion has created a throw away culture where trends come and go like cars down a motorway, leaving in its wake a plume of pollution. My mission is a proactive approach at tackling this ongoing problem as the audience would be encouraged to reuse/recycle old clothes.

What inspires you?

My environment inspires me, this is partly built up by my family who are all really creative. From a young age i’ve been exposed to soundsystem culture with a variety of music from my dad who is a musician and my mum who works in TV production. As I’ve grown older, i’ve found my own interests which are Art and fashion, so i’m constantly drawing inspiration from artists and fashion designers.

What is your aim during this residency?

I want to lay the foundations for my kit business, but also explore the potential of the kit and create my own art pieces/clothing. Experimenting with the tools I want to provide for other people.

You can follow Oscar and his practice here