Closing The Loop (Dover and Sheppey)

FUTURE FOUNDRY

CLOSING THE LOOP
DOVER & SHEPPEY
A NEW GENERATION OF

CREATIVE & CIRCULAR ENTREPRENEURS

FUTURE FOUNDRY:

Future Foundry empowers young people with self-employment,
freelancing and creative skills, promoting lifelong learning, developing
support networks and encouraging a ‘do it yourself’ approach to career
development.
The company aims to address the barriers to entry facing young people
who want a career in the creative industries. This profit-for-purpose
company promotes excellence, bringing young people into contact
with inspiring practitioners, to  enable creative business startup and
engagement with contemporary maker and sustainability movements.
In 2017 Future Foundry launched the first Creative Start-Up Space in
Kent offering open access to digital fabrication technology for young

people and the wider community.

The team have experienced how lack of access to space and equipment
for less advantaged young people is one of the most significant barriers
to building a career in the arts and creative industries. Consequently,
creating a space with open access opportunities for young people
to get together, learn new skills, create new work and start creative
businesses has been a long-held ambition of the company.

The company is now bringing together Kent’s creative, environmental
and business sectors to encourage the next generation to develop
innovative ideas, campaigns and products to deliver increased economic,
environmental and social value for themselves and their communities.

Closing the Loop has been developed by Future Foundry to raise
awareness of the issues of waste and resource depletion, to increase
understanding around the principles and processes of the Circular
Economy, and to bring the focus of creative young people towards
finding solutions and generating ideas that could turn into businesses,
artworks or projects.

Each programme includes public events, school workshops and a month-
long free training programme for young people aged 16 to 30, offering
workshops in sustainable design, waste reduction, digital manufacturing
and business start-up. Research visits to Countrystyle Recycling Ltd
and designers Elvis and Kresse supplied first-hand experience of the
overwhelming size (and smell) of our collective waste problem as well as
illustrating some of the innovative solutions being developed.

The brief is kept purposefully broad to encourage exploration and play,
ranging from designing a new product or service, to upcycling, recycling
or creating events, plays, installations or artworks.

World Café events, Philosophical Inquiry, mentoring and group lunches
provide opportunities to network, collaborate, build confidence and
talk through creative and business ideas.

Taking place in Dover, Sheppey and Gravesham, Closing the Loop aims
to create the first Circular Economy Youth Network in the region.

Big thanks to all our trainers, speakers and mentors:
Kresse Wesling (Elvis and Kresse), Ayisha de Lanerolle (The Conversation
Agency), Sam Williams (Barley Communications), Sonya Cragg (Countrystyle
Recycling), Roger Wilkin (Kent County Council), Alison Branagan (Creative
Industries Consultant), Dr Julie Scott (TouchTD), Robert Sanders (Designer),
Cate Bell (Cate in the Kitchen), Chris Duncan (Spark Film Production), Laura
Bailey (Kent County Council), Elliot Carr (The Shed Maker Space, UKC), Gloria
Royer (Dustbin Vintage), Nicholas Humphrey Smith (Ancestors of Dover Ltd),
Miriam Ellis.

www.closing-the-loop.com

“The Circular Economy is a vision of a world where both
the making and using of products wastes nothing. It offers
an alternative to the traditional linear economy (make, use,
dispose) and aims to keep resources in use for as long as
possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use,
then recover and regenerate products and materials at the
end of each service life.” WRAP



“We are delighted to be working with Future Foundry to deliver the
first ever open access creative start-up hub in Kent. Not only does it
herald a new approach to managing waste by promoting a sustainable
approach to the use of materials and manufacturing techniques, but it
also forms a cornerstone for our approach to supporting the growth
of the creative industries through mentoring, business support and
signposting creative careers to encourage a new generation of creative
entrepreneurs.”

Tony Witton, Creative and Cultural Economy Manager, Kent County Council.

What’s Next?
Circular Kent — Creative Future Proofing

Global warming, resource depletion, the Circular Economy – these are
powerful narratives and, as a culture, we need to use every resource
we have available to tackle the problems we face, especially our
imaginations, our inventiveness and our lateral thinking. We need to
inspire and include everyone in seeking solutions, to take the circular
economy out of the realm of experts (RSA) and into the hands of
children, entrepreneurs, artists and communities — to create surprising
interactions, memorable stories and clear first steps, to fire imaginations,
inspire inventions and get truly hands on.

Circular Kent will draw on the principles of the Circular Economy to build
a Kent-wide youth and community programme to raise awareness of
global issues regarding waste and resource depletion and challenge
people to find creative solutions which are relevant to Kent communities,
but which might also inform wider national and international thinking
and influence policy change.

The creative and cultural sector has a compelling arsenal of skills at
hand, which Circular Kent aims to harness, from creating compelling
narratives to devising memorable interventions and shareable wow-
factor videos and images.  As a community of influencers, placemakers,
communicators, innovators and agents of social change, the creative
sector has the ability to influence attitudes and behaviours, and to raise
awareness through powerful messaging and engagement.

Future Foundry is working in partnership with both the Culture and Waste
departments at Kent County Council and Countrystyle Recycling Ltd,
one of the county’s leading waste management companies to develop
this highly innovative social value programme.

DISRUPTIVE
ENTREPRENEURS

Tomris Ozaktanler — Poly.Space
Closing the Loop inspired me to create Poly.Space — the first trial of a
scaled-down site-specific and immersive installation in a greenhouse,
intended for a 14 x 30ft polytunnel public art installation in Dover.

Poly-Space aims to encourage you to reflect on your local environment and how, as
a community, we can nurture and grow our town’s potential by making use of what is
available to us. Participants are invited to sit in Poly-Space and express their emotional
response in drawings or words.

Poly-Space aims to create a nurturing and calm environment in which insider and
outsider communities can connect to the place of Dover and discover a sense of
home. The installation was designed to strengthen the community of Dover through
placemaking strategies. The idea of the greenhouse comes from remembering the
greenhouse from my childhood and how it provided a refuge from the outside world,
as a form of coping mechanism.

Since the first Closing the Loop showcase I have developed and adapted the idea
to another site-specific intervention at  Canterbury Christ Church University  Campus.
GONE FISHING aimed to support and raise awareness of men’s mental health and
suicide by inviting participants to engage with an interactive game of fishing with a
facilitator in an immersive installation that encapsulated the calming sensory elements
of the pond area it was situated in. We had to stay open for an extra hour to due to
demand.
[email protected]@gmail.com

Disruptive Entrepreneurs

Lorna Doyle
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[email protected]
Since Closing the Loop I have continued developing my designs onto waste
wetsuits and have made some great connections in the industry.
I have just been selected for New Designers One Year On 2018. I have also had interest
from Christopher Raeburn and the Finisterre Team (#WetsuitsfromWetsuits campaign)
for collaborations, and am working on a swimwear collection for the OSS after an
approach by ‘Wild Swim’ author and OSS founder Kate Rew.
Closing the Loop has strongly influenced and refined my practice as a
textile designer. It has given me confidence and the skillset to push my
ideas into reality and been imperative in my design decisions.
www.lorna-doyle.com

Frazer Doyle
I am a ceramicist, working from my garden studio in Dover exploring techniques in clay,
such as using fabrics in slip and using nature in my hand-built creations.

I have a keen interest in nature and wildlife, and take inspiration from the surrounding
coastline, creating installations using beach glass and ceramics to create exciting effects

Closing the Loop taught me how to make aspects of my business more
environmentally friendly in a creative way.

Since Closing the Loop I’ve really taken on board how much waste there is in everyday
life. The project has opened my eyes to seeing wasteful packaging design everywhere.
I’ve been experimenting with designs for sustainable, but safe packaging for my
ceramics — this is a work in progress!
[email protected]

Emma Morris – The Curious Panda
I create mini top hats and unique accessories for my business The Curious Panda.
Being part of Closing the Loop has made me think about the materials that
I use in my creations and how I can extend the life of my beautiful hats.
My ambition has been to make more elaborate hats for weddings, photoshoots and
performers, but I’ve not pursued this as my current customers may not be able to afford
the more expensive hats. Inspired by Circular Economy business models, I am looking
to experiment with ‘hats for hire’. It could create a more sustainable and high value
business and enable my customers to indulge in something unique without paying a
huge price tag. It will also keep the materials in use and enable me to repair and remake
the hats when needed.
[email protected]

Emma Morris – The Curious Panda
I create mini top hats and unique accessories. Being part of Closing the Loop
has made me think about the materials that I use in my creations
and how I can extend the life of my beautiful hats. My ambition is to
make more elaborate hats for weddings, photoshoots and performers. My current
customers may not be able to afford them, so, inspired by the Circular Economy,
I am looking into a hire model. It could create a more sustainable and high value
business and enable my customers to indulge in something unique without paying
a huge price tag.
[email protected]

Rose Violet Hewitt – KNUAW pronounced noo-wah
KNUAW is a brand I created inspired by my experience of taking part in
Closing the Loop.

The ethos behind KNUAW, a self-care and eco brand using up-cycled clothing and
materials, is to promote a sustainable lifestyle through making and creativity and to
share that with my community.

From accessories like a scarf made from t-shirt yarn and earrings using leftover knitting
yarn, to handknitted face cloths using recycled or sustainably sourced cotton, I want to
promote a zero-waste lifestyle and encourage resourcefulness.

My main interest in the Circular Economy is sustainability within the fashion industry
and how we can reduce waste and the high level of consumerism that has come about
in the last few decades. My capsule collection is representative of a kind of ‘make do
and mend’ futuristic style. The patches show a ‘repaired’ look, the idea being that in
the future we will be customising our old garments to update them rather than throw
them out.

What I’d like to achieve with my brand is for people to become more mindful when it
comes to clothing and start a movement to make sustainable choices when it comes
to fashion.
Instagram: knuawwave

Sarah Dimech — SVPD
I am an interior designer with a simple ethos to place human needs at the centre of
all that I do. StudioSVPD brings this to life, creating environments where humans feel
comfortable, communal spaces that make people feel at home, and homes that make
sense for the people that live in them, highlighting products and rituals that improve
everyday life for all.

StudioSVPD Sample Library is the beginning of an ongoing love of products and
materials that benefit the practice.

Since Closing the Loop, further research has led to exciting connections
and new friendships have been formed. One of those has been ‘Material
Driven’ (www.materialdriven.com) who have their own library of innovative
materials. Working collaboratively with them and the makers they support
will enable StudioSVPD to bring these materials to a wider audience. The
aim is to gather a ‘mobile’ sample library to give designers and communities
the opportunity to experience first-hand these new materials, that focus
on the wellbeing of the planet and its inhabitants.
Instagram - @SVPD

Katy Paige McLean
I am a photographer, capturing disregarded objects and spontaneous moments from
everyday life with my iPhone.

I am full-time recreational assistant in a leisure centre, from lifeguarding to swim
teaching to reception. I travel lots, having worked in America at a summer camp, as well
as travelling to different countries, anticipating when I will stumble on an opportunity.

Taking part in Closing the Loop workshop taught me how to share my
photos through social media, how to potentially turn it into a business, as
well as recreating wonders through unwanted objects and learning about the
target audience and what impact it has on society.

Since Closing the Loop I’ve spent three months travelling in Asia. This year I intend to
continue with my photography, focusing more on turning it into a business.
Instagram: katee_pm101 Facebook: Katy Paige-McLean Photography

Jack Cant
I’m a freelance artist, living in Herne Bay. My style of work evokes nostalgia, humour and
melancholy using bold hand-drawn lines and pop colours.

Having learnt more about the Circular Economy and becoming more aware
of the waste of materials, I have expanded my style by laser-cutting my
illustrations and lettering onto unwanted objects.

One of my aims of the programme was to evolve my style and have some time to
experiment more. To move from pen on paper to using digital technology and working
with paint and layers. I’ve always been attracted to old bits of wood and cardboard
which I’d paint onto, they’re one-offs — I like the patina of age, I like painting over the
top, responding to each piece independently and turning it into a canvas. Clusters of
broken skateboards and discarded wood have make their way into this new installation,
each treated using multiple processes and laser and stencil sign writing.

Through Closing the Loop I’ve been able to also experiment with more
sustainable materials such as sugar cane spray paint, I’ve also begun to make
handmade paper using waste which supplies another interesting surface to paint on
and burn.
Instagram: iamjackcant

Josh Leppenwell — CLOGG | BOX
As a previous creative who took a turn to the trade industry, finding time to carry on
being a creative became a bit more difficult. With the help of the guys at Closing
the Loop and all the resources they have to hand, in a short space of time
I have been able to develop an idea for a business, CLOGG | BOX.

CLOGG | BOX are bespoke hand-made shoe/trainer boxes offering complete flexibility
regarding design and personalisation options. They provide an option to store and
protect shoes and trainers, not only in a way that looks great, but also offers a sustainable
option to those who want to make their footwear last longer.

The potential of being able to create a product using sustainable resources
is something I find really exciting and can’t wait to carry on experimenting
with. Since starting the project I have had a great feedback and interest from people
about the product.
[email protected]

Ben Davies — Illuminate
I have recently qualified as an electrician. The company that I work for specialises in
renewable technologies, generally for household systems, hot water or heating systems
and electrical systems.

I wanted to take part in Closing the Loop as I find alternatives to the wasteful
norm very useful and interesting. I started the programme not really
knowing what to expect, but I was very interested to explore elements of
Circular Economy concepts. Being able to network with likeminded people
from other areas of expertise was a big help to progressing through the
course. I developed my project by trying to combine elements of electrical
and circular design.

My project is to try to combine the use of sustainable and reuseable materials and to
incorporate renewable technologies on a smaller scale for everyday uses.
[email protected]

Lauren Jade Holmes — IO Arts, History & Disability
I have a BA in History and Philosophy of Art, and an MA in Curating. I am currently a
support worker working with people with learning difficulties.

In my job as a support worker, I’ve noticed and been told by my clients that there is
often a lack of opportunity in the arts for people with learning difficulties to learn and
explore their interests. I believe everyone should be given the opportunity to explore
their curiosities, and this has inspired me to set up IO Arts, History & Disability to enable
access, education and integration in the arts for adults with learning difficulties. Using
my curatorial knowledge and experience, I plan to provide on-the-spot arts and history
education in museums, galleries and heritage sites and related creative arts-making
workshops (incorporating recycled materials or upcycling).

Closing the Loop helped me gain a huge amount of confidence and
reassurance in my abilities to be able to start up a creative enterprise.
To be around so many creative people is inspiring and really helped me
garner a ‘can do’ and ‘do it yourself’ attitude. Within the next year, I would like
to see IO Arts, History & Disability deliver educational and fun tours and workshops,
introduce the idea of recycling and its importance, and show ways to reuse materials in
our art practice. I would like to curate exhibitions of the work created through the IO
workshops.
[email protected]

Nicola Priest
I have studied archaeology, have a background in retail management and have my own
business designing and making jewellery.

Through my creative business I have connected with the Student Makers’ Market
and local arts community and now I work as a freelance creative. I have noticed large
amounts of waste going to landfill  in all sectors and am creating a new blog ‘The
Disruptive Designer’, to discover, develop and document my personal journey in living
a more sustainable and circular life as an artist and designer. I aim to explore sustainable
fashion, how to reduce waste at home and in business and to educate others in circular
design.

Since Closing the Loop I have developed a series of children’s workshops
for the Horsebridge Gallery exploring creative making and the Circular
Economy. I have experimented with papermaking and taken part in a
Repair Café teaching people how to repair their clothes using creative
darning inspired by Celia Pym.
[email protected]

Liam Todd
I am a 19-year-old clothing designer based on the Isle of Sheppey. Closing the Loop
has been a brilliant experience for me as I’ve learnt so many new methods
of creating a design and enjoyed working alongside Sam Giles who’s
helped me develop my ideas to a finished handmade product.

What I would like to do next is to find a relevant t-shirt printing apprenticeship and to
carry on building my business start-up, using what I have learned. I would also like to
find community projects to get involved with.

Since Closing the Loop I have been creating more experimental designs,
using Lino prints and repeat patterns, and I have been aging paper and
printing designs using tea bags.

The programme really opened my eyes to waste by looking at the circular economy and
I’ve started to think about sustainability. Working with the other artists has broadened
my knowledge of how to make, encouraging me to try new techniques and become
more experimental and daring.
@epclothing_uk

Mollie Anne Bristow
I’m 20 years old and live by the coast in Kent designing and making unique gifts which
are all inspired by nature. I source my materials as ecologically friendly as possible
by up-cycling unwanted fabrics, recycling materials, collecting fallen wood and flight
feathers — I also love to find drift wood and other treasures from the coast.
Closing the Loop gave me a great opportunity to expand my potential and
meet like-minded people who are trying to start a business that is also
ecological and friendly to the environment, which is something we have learned
much about and gained lots of knowledge from.
I would like to participate in plenty more Student Makers’ Markets, build up my business
and to perhaps encourage other young artistic people. 

Gabrielle Hill
I am a crafter who primarily works with textiles, doing things such as sewing and
crochet, but I also like to try crafts outside of that such as origami and baking. Situated
in Sittingbourne, I enjoy using the patterns of plants in my work and experimenting
with colour.
Participating in Closing the Loop and joining Future Foundry has been
very beneficial, it has helped me to socialise and get out of my flat while
learning new skills and getting more work done. I have enjoyed learning
about the circular economy and plan on using more recycled material in my work. I will
continue to use these skills to build a business and continue making.

Evelyn Walton
I am an 18-year-old art student studying in Kent and enjoy working with illustration and
drawing cartoons.

Future Foundry has been helping me print designs onto old t-shirts
and inspiring me to think about more ways I can recycle and help the
environment. I am unsure of where I want to be in the future, but I’m hoping Future
Foundry will help me decide on a vocational path and hold open the door to possibly
being an independent designer.
@toad.child

Sebastian Voiss
I’ve been running my own pallet up-cycling business called E.S.J pallet furniture. What
started it all off was a shed that I built for £30 as I didn’t have much money. That’s
where my idea for Jacob’s Wood Shed came from, my lack of money and space and the
passion to build. Jacob’s Wood Shed will be a place for anyone to make, with
a programme of community making. It will cater for a range of people and maybe
one day a month, or even a week, will have a family making project.
Since Closing the Loop I have been working with Future Foundry to develop
my idea further, identify possible sources of funding and donations of tools
to progress my idea.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/166981266972459

Sian Knight
I qualified as a midwife in 2015 and work in SCBU caring for premature and sick
neonates. I’ve been making baby clothes since a mum on the unit asked me to make
some extra-small clothing for her premature baby. I now make and sell at craft fairs in
my spare time.
During Closing the Loop I have been greatly inspired by the many talented
creatives and makers and have learnt many new skills involving state of
the art technology. Using my medical background and the team’s creativeness and
expertise, I developed two products: a screen printed muslin vest for sick babies in
incubators, designed to lessen the ‘medicalisation’ of the babies in the eyes of their
parents, and a moveable padded lifesize ‘hand’ which could assist in ‘containment
holding’ when parents or staff are not able to touch their babies, proven in studies to
have a significantly beneficial effects on these babies.
[email protected]



“The course helped me gain a huge amount of confidence
and reassurance in my abilities to be able to start up a creative
enterprise. To be around so many creative people is inspiring and
really helped me garner a ‘can do’ and ‘do it yourself’ attitude”

“Closing the loop has strongly influenced and refined my practice
as a textile designer. It has given me confidence and the skillset
to push my ideas into reality. It has been imperative in my design
decisions.”

“The programme really opened my eyes to waste by looking at
the circular economy and I’ve started to think about sustainability.
Working with the other artists has broadened my knowledge of
how to make, encouraging me to try new techniques and become
more experimental and daring.”

“Through Closing the Loop I’ve been able to experiment with
more sustainable materials such as sugar cane spray paint, I’ve
also begun to make handmade paper using waste which supplies
another interesting surface to paint on and burn. “

WWW.FUTUREFOUNDRY.ORG.UK [email protected]
FUTURE FOUNDRY CREATIVE START-UP SPACE: BIGGIN HALL

BIGGIN STREET, DOVER, KENT CT161BD