According to Matthew Edwards, co-founder of sustainable research organisation, Big Circle studios and designer for his brand, Matte, it’s all about “working stuff out.” The core of Matte’s practice is not constituted by a preoccupation with “the end product” as one might think, but rather, it is driven by a concern and approach anchored in process, perception and perspective.
With a background in industrial and graphic design, Matthew Edwards employs a “make do” attitude towards creation. His process focuses on what materials and tools are available and the potential they might hold. Seeing people using plastic waste as material while doing sustainable practice research piqued his interest in common household plastics used in food, beauty and cleaning product packaging that can be found in most homes. Adopting this method of material led design, Matt explores latent qualities of waste products that present different opportunities given the ideal intervention.
Matt asks himself, “How quickly can I increase the value of a material that is perceived as worthless?” the simple answer to this question, in this case, is ‘jewellery’. This intuitive response mimics the intuitive approach taken in this process. Using tools in ways they are not meant to be used, and fighting through failure and mistakes, Matte, the brand, has developed a process that results in the end material being reminiscent of marble, something of incredible value. The waste plastic is transformed into sheets and, as is the case with fine silver, is never mass produced. The result causes us to rethink the material in line with a precious stone or metal with Matt scooping and scraping every piece of dust and by product to be reused in future pieces.
The integrity of the process and the care and consideration put into each piece manifests in the output. While these rings and the process of developing them happened a while ago, Matt sees shelving, parking or archiving something as really useful, as you can always go back and pull it out again when it makes the most sense. In the same intuitive manner in which Matt approaches his practice, going through the process and resisting new knowledge and material, it felt like a suitable time to attempt from a different angle.
These hand-made, marbled HDPE rings have emerged from the archive with the process and product a bit more polished and ready for the world. An attempt to valorise a material and process sometimes seen as cheap or unnecessary by some serves as a reminder of what where we place value and our consumption while aligning engagement with these ideas with the potential and beauty hidden in things we consider waste. There is something provocative about remanufacturing such a cheap, mass-manufactured and destructive material into something unique, delicate and beautiful.
Matte rings are available now on Bubblegum Shop
