Author
Rosie Murphy
Date
09-12-2021
Company
Plus X
Location
Plus X Brighton
Throughout 2021, the Plus X Brighton workshop has been home to a series of Creators Clubs. Open to every member and completely free, these workshops are designed for people that may not have time in their usual working week to create with their hands.
At each Creators Club, the workshop team guide attendees to create an end-product. Each session provides a guided introduction to the machines and making space to build confidence and skills in the workshop.
Members are encouraged to be experimental and iterative, and learn by doing. There is no right or wrong in creativity, so members are given tips, suggestions and support rather than providing in-depth recipe with predetermined results.
Below, we’ll explore some of the recent Creators Clubs, and give a little more information on how members and Brighton businesses alike can learn more about the Plus X workshop.
Handmade Vegan Soap
In the first Creators Club, attendees were taught how to make soaps using natural and vegan ingredients. This is a very craft-like process that uses simple equipment that many people can find in their kitchens.
Members melted soap bases on hot plates in the Wet Lab, and considered and collected the ingredients they wanted to use to scent and decorate their soaps. They could take inspiration from soaps developed by Workshop Technician Christy Cairns, or go rogue and create their own!
In the assembly space, attendees mixed their ingredients and poured their soaps into silicone molds. Each participant created four soaps, from ingredients including peppermint oil, lavender, dried Orange and lime slices, and jasmine petals.
The Creations
Jewellery from Plastic Waste
Plastic waste can be a big problem for the environment, so we set out to help members repurpose waste into custom keyrings, earrings, fridge magnets, and badges. We collected waste plastic from our 3D printers, as well as from members’ own printers, and a local 3D printing company, ThreeDeeDave.
The plastic was separated by colour, and broken down into smaller pieces using a blender. Then, the members arranged their chosen coloured chips on a piece of grease-proof paper and pressed these in a toasted sandwich maker.
After 10 minutes they had created a 1-2mm thick sheet, ready for the laser cutter. With support from Christy, members’ designs came to life!
The Creations
Vegan laser-cut leather goods
In this Creators Club, the Plus X Brighton workshop team wanted participants to leave feeling that they could confidently use a Trotec Speedy 300 laser cutter without supervision. We love nothing more than the workshop being used by our members – whether that’s for a new hardware product, or creating gifts and testing ideas developed in your spare time. Our ambition is to leave every member feeling able to get creative in the Plus X workshop.
Members used Happy Hide, a leather alternative made from recycled paper and latex, to create card wallets and glasses cases. This durable, water resistant and washable material is suitable for laser cutting, and creates a quality (and useful) product!
After a health and safety introduction and induction into the machine, participants chose the colour material for their creations. Based on a design created by Christy, participants began to cut their design from a flat sheet of vegan leather. Finally, they folded together and affixed riveted buttons to create the finished product.
The Creations
Get Creative with Creators Clubs
Creators Clubs at Plus X are open to all members, so if you’d like to learn a new skill and get creative, keep an eye on our members-only channels for your exclusive invite.
Not a Plus X member yet?
Book a visit to the Brighton innovation hub to see if our inspiring and innovation workspace might be right for your business.
Access the Plus X Brighton Workshop
Could you make use of the workshop at Plus X Brighton? Find out more about the state-of-the-art product development and batch production facilities, and book a workshop tour to meet the specialist team.
