Project Summary
As a British Council Connections Through Culture UK-Southeast Asia Grantee for 2020-2021, Everything Green hosted a series collaborative design hackathons to design various products such as footwear, homeware, and accessories for local artisans from all over the country - inspiring them to elevate their craft and create sustainable, high-quality products from agri-waste materials.
This in turn, inspired 18 Filipino artisan communities from all over the Philippines and 3 British fashion designers to see the potential in agri-waste materials. Through a series of collaborations, they were able to produce 20 different products.
Meet the Designers
Taka Iizuka
Taka Iizuka is a London based footwear designer originally from Tokyo. With over a decade of industry experience, he has been designing and developing a wide range of products, from sneakers to dress shoes without gender boundaries. He has previously worked for major brands such as Adidas, Lacoste and Jimmy Choo.
For the disPOSE project, Taka decided to use Abaca as a main material for the footwear collection. His designs for the dispose project were inspired by the European aesthetic as well as the nature in the Philippines, which he combined to create a unique design. He was able to create interesting textures for the footwear products, using the material properties of braided abaca to his advantage.
Taka’s advice to aspiring designers – “Stay true to yourself and keep your eyes open”
To see Taka’s footwear designs, click here.
Francesca Middleton
Francesca Middleton is a UK based fashion accessories designer. Her ethical accessories brand focuses on rescuing fabric remnants and turning them into sustainable, and bags and wallets. She has previously worked for major brands such as Alexander McQueen, Chloe and Marc Jacobs. She also has worked as an art lecturer for several art schools across the North West of England.
For the disPOSE project, Francesca decided to use woven water hyacinth as a main material for the accessories collection. Her designs for the disPOSE project were inspired by the Filipino culture and how the women in the Philippines carry a fan with them. She translated her design inspiration into eye-catching bags that are shaped like a fan – using bright and lively colors that reminded her of the different fiestas celebrated in the Philippines.
Francesca’s advice to aspiring designers – “Find what is unique to you, find your unique voice. What can you give that nobody else can? Then develop it and grow it so that it can be seen by others.”
To see Francesca’s bag designs, click here
Roberta Poškaitė
Roberta Poškaitė, originally from Lithuania is UK based designer and owner of the brand ROPO design. She creates eco-friendly and fashionable home décor products using sustainable materials such as linen, which is a natural, breathable and durable fabric. Being sustainable in every part of the production is at the core belief of her brand identity.
For the disPOSE project, Roberta decided to use leatherized water hyacinth, banana bark and pine needles as the main material for the homeware collection. Her designs for the disPOSE project were inspired by the current products she produces for her own brand. She created functional and multipurpose designs that would add stylish space to our homes.
Roberta’s advice to aspiring designers – “Be confident and brave. Be persistent and work hard even if it means working only for yourself. You will encounter some ups and downs but that means if you’re going through something rough, a better day will come and it won’t last forever.”
To see Roberta’s homeware designs, click here.