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Maker Loop

Repurposing Industry Waste Through a Digital Marketplace

Maya Barr

Project Detail

MakerLoop is a digital marketplace that enables businesses to buy and sell surplus materials that would otherwise be discarded. Users can set up a business account, upload materials with images and descriptions, set a price and arrange delivery or collection. Other users can browse listings and purchase materials for reuse. The app creates a network that redistributes waste materials between businesses, with its main benefit being that it reduces material waste while providing businesses with a financial return and freeing up valuable workshop storage space.

Problem Statement

The project was inspired by my experience working for an upholsterer who regularly accumulated fabric offcuts that occupied her workshop space. Although she attempted to repurpose these materials, doing so added to her existing workload. Through questionnaire research, it became clear that this issue extends beyond upholstery into other design and manufacturing industries. These industries identified that time constraints, limited storage space and a lack of financial incentives were the main barriers preventing material reuse. As a result, large quantities of usable materials are disposed of despite their remaining value, with most of these materials being wood and fabrics.

Two diagrams whowing a circular loop. One has logs, the arrow circles from them to an image of a phone showing the Maker Loop app, the arrow then circles to a saw cutting wood and wooden chess pieces. On the other diagram a swatch of fabric circles to the phone app and then to sewing thread and a tote bag.

My Process

Research began with a questionnaire distributed to a range of makers and manufacturers, which included picture framers, furniture makers, students and carpenters, to name a few. This was followed by wider research into material waste and how fabric and wood waste is disposed of, which lead to the realisation that too often it ends up in landfill. I generated ideas using creative lessons from Block 5 and refined them using various matrices, which led to MakerLoop being the most effective solution to reducing material waste.

A diagram of the intended process: 1 The user creates an account with MakerLoop, business verification needed, 2 User sets up profile, 3 User uploads images of products with descriptions, 4 User decides a price, 5 User selects preferred shipping options, 6 User uploads listing to their profile, 7 Other businesses can browse and search items and send offers, 8 Buyers choose shipping options, 9 a delivery label is generated, 10 buyers start making with their new materials
Poster which reads: Maker Loop, Turning waste into opportunity. Repurposing industry waste through a digital marketplace and showing an image of the recycling symbol with logs on one side and a chair on the other.

About me

Instagram & Etsy: @MayaPoppyHome

My goal during this module was to design with environmental responsibility and sustainability at its core. This final project felt like an important way to end my academic journey with the Open University, as I am now venturing into the world of furniture and soft furnishings and want environmental responsibility to be central to my own work.

I hand make soft furnishings and use fabric scraps to create small pouches, helping to reduce waste and make the most of materials. After graduation, I hope to continue building my own business while developing my career within the furniture industry and applying sustainable design principles throughout my work.

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