Students’ sustainable sleeves for tech
Students at The College of Richard Collyer in Horsham have set up a small business to design, make and sell hand-crafted laptop and iPad sleeves made from recycled curtain fabrics.
Collyer’s have partnered with Young Enterprise, a leading employability and financial education charity empowering young people across the UK, to enable their students to experience setting up and running their own business.
This approach allows students to have a fun experience, gain skills and build the confidence that will be useful as they progress through their academic life and business careers.
As part of Collyer’s enrichment program, ten students decided that they wanted to create a business that would be based around making an environmentally friendly product and after discussions and market research decided to make a hand-crafted laptop sleeve.
The company is called Protega.
Using ex-demonstrator curtain fabric donated to the College, they have designed and made uniquely stylish sleeves for a range of laptops and iPads.
Being involved in the program has helped all the students to develop new skills in areas such as working as a team and problem solving but also in business planning, buying, production processes and selling.
Support has been available throughout from the Collyer’s lead, Julie Crysell, and a business advisor volunteer from Young Enterprise.
However, the company is very much driven by the students.
Whilst some of the group had already gained skills in sewing, many had to learn new practical skills in product design, materials ordering, fabric cutting, pinning and sewing.
Further help was provided by Susie McAlister, the head of art and design at Collyer’s, providing guidance and suggestions.
Indeed, the curtain fabric used by the team was made available from old ex-demonstration samples gifted to the department by a local shop.
The recycling of this material was a key part of the product design and also makes each sleeve unique as well as more sustainable.
Some of the students demonstrated their products and explained to people about their company and its approach to using recycled materials at the April Sussex Green Hub.
The event was well attended and their products much admired. Ecology students at Collyer’s, led by Dr Ian Carr, recently learned about the importance of the Circular Economy across the UK and the world, and these enterprising students are to be congratulated in demonstrating this example of reusing material to contribute to a circular economy in an eco-friendly, sustainable way.
The Sussex Green Hub takes place on the last Saturday every month, 10am-2.30pm, at the United Reformed Church, Horsham.
Next month’s Hub will see the launch of the Horsham branch of MPWatch, and Pat Smith will be speaking from 1pm-2pm.
Our current MP and all prospective MPs are cordially invited.