A quick browse through Instagram is all it takes to discover some of the immensely talented product designers who have emerged during the pandemic. For some, lockdown has given them time to explore hobbies and interests with greater focus and less distraction. For others, it has been an enterprise born of necessity as artists have used their talents to generate a much-needed income.
Social media marketing
Instagram has become a vital sales platform for some of these back bedroom artists and we have loved seeing their ingenuity when it comes to making and selling their products online. Some makers publicise a launch date and time for each batch, with their products selling out in a matter of minutes. It has been fascinating to see how social media has helped newcomers break into the interiors market.
Supporting new talent
Luckily for us, the surge of interest in product design has led to some exciting new relationships for Dovetailors. We are fairly well known for supporting up and coming designers with prototyping and small batch production and over the past year we have been approached to help with some very exciting creative projects. Some of these are still in their infancy but others are making good progress and we look forward to sharing further details soon.
Production partners
Our workshop is one of only a few in the North of England that helps entrepreneurs with prototyping and small batch production. Product designers seek advice from us if they have wood components or a product made from wood. With two CNC machines in our workshop, including a 5-axis CNC, we can help with small batch and larger production runs. Most importantly, we can share our production and design experience, advising on the most efficient ways to manufacture. Our role is different for each collaboration project and we can support designers with design evolution, prototyping, production costing and feasibility and manufacturing of products or components.
Shared ethos
Emerging product designers choose to work with us for our knowledge, experience and capability but they also want to collaborate with a company that shares their ethos. Our focus on sustainability and being a responsible business mean we are perfectly aligned with designers who prioritise these values.
Current collaborations
The past year has brought us in contact with some original projects and inspiring people, whose stories we are looking forward to sharing – but our work with emerging designers is nothing new. We are very proud of our well-established collaborations with designers like Hemal Patel of Headsprung! and furniture designer Ric Frampton.
View our latest Ric Frampton extending table design
View our Headsprung! terrace shelf