Sustainable jewellery making in Southsea

by Louise Lea in Southsea, Portsmouth, United Kingdom

We did it
On 18th November 2023 we successfully raised £4,505 with 58 supporters in 28 days

Help me create beautiful things out of rubbish, offcuts and post-industrial waste.

by Louise Lea in Southsea, Portsmouth, United Kingdom

 New stretch target

With extra funding I can purchase some power tools (polishers and drills) and a stock of silver clay (made from recycled silver). It'll give me a jump start and make some of the work more efficient. 


HELP GET THE OFFCUT PROJECT OFF THE GROUND

The what now?

The Offcut Project is a new product line from Southsea's The Mildred Trouble Shop - offering statement jewellery and accessories from waste plastic, industrial offcuts, pre-loved textiles and recycled precious metals.

I want to create some really special and unique pieces that people can treasure. I'm inspired constantly by this amazing creative community in Southsea but really concerned about the amount of waste that we create as a society. 

In short; I've got the skills and the materials, and now I need the workspace. 

Who are you, anyway?

I'm Lou and I've been making jewellery for over 3 years. I taught myself at my dining table with a starter kit of pliers and jewellery findings. My business has one of those classic lockdown origin stories; when my job became less creative because of the pandemic, I needed another outlet for my ideas.

Fast forward to today where I've had the pleasure of 350+ Etsy orders, sold to hundreds of people face-to-face at local markets and my creations are stocked in 3 outlets in Portsmouth. And I work full time doing a job that I also love. 

What do you I need?

Until now I've been using a mix of new charms and pre-loved beads to make my own creations. I use recyclable card displays and plastic free padded envelopes. My long term goal is to use no virgin materials and I have a huge collection of material scraps, old jewellery and plastic offcuts, just waiting to be transformed. 

However... I'm running out of room and it's not fair on my family (human and furry) to be sawing plastic in the lounge and storing offcuts on the dinner table. 

To get this off the ground without displacing those that live here, I need a workspace. I'm raising money for a garden workshop with two jeweller workbenches which will allow me to welcome other budding makers into a safe space to practice and create when they need it.

I'm also funding for a new website which will allow me to sell direct to customers online, rather than going through Etsy, and some display equipment to enhance my current (rather basic) craft stall. 

Why help?

I am passionate about protecting our planet and wanted to find a way of reusing waste that I see on our beaches and discarded by people every day.  Through this project I'll be able to make the unwanted into something unique. Including the tricky materials that can't be traditionally recycled. I want to educate people on sustainability along the way, encouraging less waste. And I'll have the opportunity to share my craft with others and welcome new makers to the space for free. 

What they say: some of my 5* reviewers

  • "Absolutely gorgeous, hand-crafted product from Mildred Trouble yet again! Such lovely quality earrings - make lovely gifts if you can bear not to keep them for yourself! Excellent communication from Louise, very prompt delivery and responsive, courteous customer service."
  • "Lovely necklace, it would be good if there was matching earrings too as would definitely be interested in buying them, quick delivery and nicely packaged too."
  • "I absolutely LOVE these earrings! I was so happy with them, they’re great quality too. Thank you!"
  • "Gorgeous dainty earrings. Very nice quality. These are timeless for any tea lover."

Rewards

This project offers rewards in return for your donation. Please select a reward below.

£15 or more

2 of 2 claimed

Coffee + Bottle Opener

Calling all coffee lovers! Southsea legend Bubblehead Barista is offering a 250g carton of coffee to go with your choice of Mildred Trouble Shop Bottle Opener (anchor, plane or bike designs).

£5 or more

Roll of honour

Your name on the roll of honour on my new website

£10 or more

5 of 20 claimed

Bottle Opener of your choice

Pledge a tenner and you'll get a lovely bottler opener in your choice of design

£15 or more

0 of 3 claimed

Skatepark Entry + Bottle Opener

This reward includes a £10 'Pitt Coin' voucher to use on entry (one full-priced session) at Pitt St Skate Park in Portsmouth + a bottle opener of your choice (anchor, plane or bike designs).

£50 or more

2 of 5 claimed

Small business website audit

I work in marketing and love helping small businesses. If you choose this reward, I will audit your website / online shop from a marketer's point of view and send you a written report with tangible actions.

£20 or more

5 of 5 claimed

£25 to spend at The Mildred Trouble Shop

Pledge £20 and you'll get £25 to spend on anything from The Mildred Trouble Shop.

£30 or more

1 of 1 claimed

Bath bombs + jewellery

Indulge with our bath bomb and jewellery package - keep it for yourself or give it as a gift! Includes a box of bath bombs from The HomeSpa and a necklace or a pair of earrings of your choice from The Mildred Trouble Shop.

£50 or more

5 of 5 claimed

A bespoke piece of jewellery

Pledge £50 or more and I'll work with you to create your own bespoke piece of jewellery using upcycled materials.

Got an idea like this?

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