About Future Makers
Transforming plastic through art, design and manufacturing
What we do
Future Makers is a Nottingham based art, design and manufacturing studio transforming plastic waste streams into products and creative outcomes.
We bring together creative practice, material development and manufacturing to explore how plastic waste can be kept in circulation and turned into high value, desirable and longer lasting things.
Why Future Makers exists
Future Makers grew from a question: if plastic is such a significant environmental challenge, where are the practical opportunities for the creative industries to help solve it?
Founder Tristan Hessing comes from a creative and artistic background, developing creative spaces, managing projects and producing artistic programmes and events in Nottingham. As awareness of plastic’s environmental impact grew, he became interested in what happens to the material after use.
There’s plenty of negative messaging around plastic, but little accessible infrastructure for artists, designers and creative businesses to experiment with waste plastic. Future Makers was created to bridge that gap, connecting the creative industries, waste management and plastics industries.
From creative practice to manufacturing
Government funding and initial investment enabled us to establish our dedicated studio and invest in specialist equipment.
Today, Future Makers is a commercially trading art, design and manufacturing studio, combining plastic processing, sheet development, textile fabrication and technical making to develop products, projects and new material applications.
From waste to value
Our work starts with the material.
We work with organisations to retain, reprocess and transform plastic waste streams into products and creative outcomes with greater value and longer lives.
Each project helps us explore what different materials can do and where new opportunities lie.
Changing how people see plastic
We believe creativity can change how people understand and value plastic.
Our Plastic Revolution programme provides practical, hands-on education that gives the next generation a more balanced understanding of the material, from its properties and uses to recycling, reuse and new possibilities.
By connecting education with creativity, material experimentation and industry, we aim to inspire the next generation of waste plastic innovators.
Where we're heading
We're developing the technology, partnerships and commercial applications needed to make circular plastic solutions more scalable.
Our focus is on larger format recycled sheet material, circular applications for plastic based textiles and growing Plastic Revolution through partnerships with businesses and schools.
Meet the team
Tristan Hessing
Founder & Managing Director
Creative producer and founder of Future Makers. Background in fine art, creative production and project development.
Gill Barker
Marketing Manager
Marketing and communications specialist focused on making complex material and sustainability stories clear and engaging.
Janis Zube
Workshop Technician
Product designer and fabricator specialising in recycled plastic sheet production, material development and making.
Dawn Sansome
Textile Technician
Textile specialist with a background in fashion and garment construction, developing new applications for plastic-based textiles.
Work with Future Makers
Have a plastic waste stream, material challenge or idea you'd like to explore?