If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of Smile this autumn, you’re in luck. We are hitting the road for events both in London and across the pond in Paris.
From the London Design Festival to the London Design Fair and Maison&Objet, our 100% recycled, 100% recyclable surfaces will be used in a multitude of inventive ways in collaboration with a selection of innovative designers and brands.
In addition to seeing Smile as you've never seen us before, you can catch our team taking part in insightful talks discussing how plastic plays a part in a more sustainable future for the built environment. Read on for some important dates for your diary…
This week, you can check out the results of our collaboration with MateriO’ in an exhibit at Maison&Objet, Paris, titled ‘Second Life’. The installation presents a hand-picked selection of 30 materials produced from would-be-waste and displayed atop the raw material from which they were created.
As part of this unique exhibition, we are showcasing a mini ACAD chair in our popular Alba material, which was born from disused yoghurt pots. This is encased within a suspended glass cylinder above the raw material, with visitors invited to view the truly transformational lifecycle in full.
For more information, and to plan your visit, click here.
Realising Circularity: Time for Action event, London Design Festival (18 September 2023)
As part of London Design Festival, our founding director, Rosalie McMillan, is taking part in the official talks programme - this year held at the Electric Light Station in Shoreditch. Multi-award-winning artist Morag Myerscough and MINI invite you to explore a luscious urban world where tradition meets technology exploring the true definition of circularity, and how it can happen, in Realising Circularity: Time for Action.
Join us on Monday 18 September at 6pm as Rosalie discusses this topic alongside Evelin Hartmann, CMF Designer for MINI, and architect, Arthur Mamou Mani. It's sure to be a fascinating, future-facing conversation.
Book your ticket here.
Material Matters, London Design Festival (16-24 September 2023)
For this year's instalment of Material Matters, held at the iconic Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf in London's Southbank, between 20 and 23 September, the results of a very exciting collaboration will be unveiled.
Taking aesthetic inspiration from the work of Tanja Kirst, multidisciplinary art & design studio, Make Relief, has crafted Material Matters' front desk using our new Heron wash collection and a custom deep Fir Green hue. The statement piece, which will welcome visitors to the exhibit, sports a contemporary, cylindrical design that simply cannot be missed.
Find out more and plan your visit here
You Can Sit With Us, London Design Fair (21-24 September 2023)
For this year's London Design Fair, 2LG Studio - long-time friends of Smile Plastics - has gathered collaborators new and old for a project with inclusivity at its heart. With a view to strengthening connections within the design world, a unique set of chairs will accompany a table crafted from our one-of-a-kind tinsel PET material.
Symbolising celebration and the coming together of people, as well as ensuring circularity through a guaranteed afterlife, the colossal 6 x 1.2m table has been designed, created and built in several parts to be fully modular so that it can be repurposed in its entirety or broken down for use by many people in multiple spaces.
There's already talk of a reincarnation in London's Theatreland, so watch this space (we'll hold out on the broken leg). Be sure to visit Truman Brewery for your first glimpse of this extremely special installation.
We'll also be joining a talk alongside 2LG at the Truman Brewery on Sunday 24 September. More details to be announced soon.
Click here to take your seat at the table.
Tala showroom opening, Shoreditch (20 September 2023)
Tala, creators of beautiful, sustainable lighting will open the doors to its highly anticipated new showroom in Shoreditch during the London Design Festival, in partnership with Dezeen.
Featuring Smile Plastics surfaces amongst its material partners, the highly curated interior design spans two floors, culminating in a setting steeped in inspiration. Keep an eye on our socials for more information on talks at Tala, including Smile Plastics founders and drop-in workshops.
Check out the full programme of events here
Exploring sustainability in retail design with Seen Studios, Fitzrovia (21 September 2023)
At Smile Plastics, our materials are frequently used in retail schemes. As part of a sector shift towards creating unparalleled customer experience, sustainability has become a more pressing priority. And as such, our 100% recycled, 100% recyclable surfaces are an ideal solution for environmentally conscious settings.
With this in mind, Rosalie, our founding director, is taking part in a breakfast panel discussion hosted by Seen Studios in Fitzrovia, London, on 21 September, to discuss sustainability in retail design alongside like-minded peers.
Register your interest here.
Design For Planet Festival, University of East Anglia (17-18 October 2023)
The aim of the Design For Planet Festival, hosted by the Design Council, is an important one: "We want to mobilise the UK's powerful design community to unite efforts in addressing the climate crisis." So, clearly, we were keen to be involved.
Heading to the University of East Anglia in Norwich between 17 and 18 October, the third edition of this award-winning festival will take place. The theme is COLLABORATE, bringing together over 60 brands - including Smile Plastics - to empower an important cross-industry dialogue. Join for free and access everything from workshops to panel discussions.
Click here for more information.
We hope to see you at one of the above events in the coming months. And, if you do happen to spot some Smile, please tag us on social media @smileplastics.
