Closing the Loop is a maker-led collective consisting of 20 professional members of Applied Arts Scotland. We have shared values based on our dedication to working towards a sustainable and regenerative practice.

Since 2020 we have been achieving our objectives through monthly online meetings, in-person events, collaborative residencies, group exhibitions, and material swaps, to share our excess materials. These exchanges encourage playful exploration, repurposing, innovative use of waste materials and cross-pollinate our varied making practices.

We continue to spread the word of our mission to close the loop of circular making, with other makers as well as the wider public. We encourage others to consider how they too could adopt ever more sustainable and responsible ways of being. 

• We work in ways that benefit both people and the planet.
• Work with circular economy principles, keeping products and materials in long term use.
• Minimise waste by repurposing scrap materials.
• Provide peer to peer support.
• Accountability.
• Sharing learning with one another, the wider sector, and audiences.
• Enjoy and offer an inclusive experience of camaraderie. 

Closing The Loop Makers

Allison MacLeod

My practice centres on conceptual art jewellery, exploring materiality, meaning and sustainability through making.

Working under the name Phorme, I create individual pieces using a combination of digital and hand processes. I design using CAD and 3D print with plant-based filaments, alongside working with recycled metals and found materials.

My work is often inspired by the scientific world, with concept research followed by play and experimentation key to inform both form and concept.

I am particularly interested in circular practices, valuing waste as a resource and rethinking material lifecycles.

Read about the ways in which Allison addresses sustainability and environmental responsibility in their practice.

Sustainability in my practice begins with both material choice and a desire to communicate urgent environmental concerns. 

In my Microplasticology brooch collection, I use plant-based PLA 3D printing filament combined with waste materials to create pieces that speak about the growing presence of microplastics. Learning that microplastics are now found everywhere—from the deepest oceans to within the human body—deeply affected me. By making these particles highly visible within the work, I aim to raise awareness while also demonstrating alternative, more responsible material choices. I also work with an upgradeable 3D printer, allowing me to reduce waste and extend the lifespan of my equipment.

In my Here and There ring collection, sustainability is both practical and conceptual. I use recycled sterling silver alongside bio-based filaments, reflecting my belief in the continuity and value of materials. The work is inspired by scientific ideas, particularly quantum mechanics, which suggest that matter is never lost but constantly transforming. This mirrors my approach to making—valuing reuse, minimising waste, and, where possible, working with renewable energy sources.

Sustainability also informs how I live and make beyond jewellery. In my Sashiko Sofa project, I repaired a worn family sofa using traditional Japanese visible mending techniques and recycled materials. What began as a practical solution became something I now cherish. It extended the life of a well-used object and prevented it from going to landfill, while also connecting me to a slower, more thoughtful way of working.

Katy Galbraith

I work in the medium of mosaic mostly for exhibition, commissions, with school and community, and for sale in galleries and online.

I work primarily with recycle materials, where applicable. The use of recycled materials brings an unexpected detail within the mosaic, alongside the traditional patchwork quilt concept where each tesserae can have a personal meaning.

In today’s disposable society where we have a sense of fast homeware alongside fast fashion, the reuse of materials allows me to highlight this, we should be looking at more considered purchasing rather than bulk buying low cost homeware.

Read about the ways in which Katy addresses sustainability and environmental responsibility in their practice.

1. The reuse of materials – including crockery, wine bottle glass, stained glass scraps, roof slates, end of project tiles, stepping stones, metal table bases
2. Repurposing packaging – mostly bubblewrap from local stores and cardboard boxes, repurposing food tubs/containers etc for mixing and storage etc.
3. It is just the way I live my life, but I cannot think of anything else specific just now!

Jeni Reid

Artist/maker based in Arbroath, Angus. Enjoys working with plastic, pictures, textiles and words. Areas of interest include; layers of history, small stories, disability and creativity, the importance of small talk, and seagulls. Fascinated by other people’s stuff and always inspired by second hand and found objects. 

The process is as important as the finished work for me and I enjoy the challenge of collaborating with others. 

I make items from plastics that I recycle and process using domestic equipment and can turn a sheep’s fleece into a jumper using only the power of my hands, a spinning wheel and some needles.

Read about the ways in which Jeni addresses sustainability and environmental responsibility in their practice.

1. Commitment to using second hand materials whenever possible, including leftover acrylic paint in my plastic process, using second hand fabrics and threads for textile work and fabric printing. 
2. Identifying more sustainable ways to display my work – eg finding Katz board which is made from recycled wood pulp to use for printing images for gallery display.
3. Using my work with recycled, found and second hand objects to spark conversations about environmental concerns, capitalism and throw-away culture. Trying to create work which inspires and challenges but doesn’t preach or make folk feel ashamed.

Hannah Ayre

Hannah Ayre is a participatory artist, educator and producer with 25 years experience of delivering socially engaged arts projects. Her multidisciplinary practice spans ceramics, textiles, light art and alternative photography, creating work from small-scale crafts to large-scale installations and events.

Working with arts, environmental and heritage organisations, she collaborates with audiences to produce immersive experiences centred on wellbeing, nature connection and heritage learning. Much of her work takes place outdoors, bringing art into accessible public spaces. Sustainability underpins her practice, often using waste materials and plants grown at her allotment to create thoughtful, engaging work that connects people and place.

Read about the ways in which Hannah addresses sustainability and environmental responsibility in their practice.

I recently created a major new piece of work, called FluoreCycle, made form scrap bike wheels. I developed this light installation in response to previous commissions for one-off installations. FluoreCycle is made from waste materials and has also been designed to tour. It’s my hope that it will travel to light festivals across the UK and overseas, having a long life. At the end of its life, the wheels can return to the scrapyard that they were destined for.

I also make use of waste and natural materials in my other projects, including my participatory projects. I feel my projects with children and adults offer me  opportunity to educate and influence in a positive way. For example a project I undertook for the National Museums of Scotland, related to their Sea Change exhibition. Working with the exhibition curator, children learned about plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, particularly in Oceania. I brought the project closer to home by working with the children to create an installation for their school foyer, from upcycled crisp packets, sweetie wrappers and bubble wrap used to protect museums objects.

As well as specific projects, I’m constantly striving to make all aspects of running my creative business more environmentally sustainable. Improvements I’ve made over the years:

• 2024 -Sold my car. Committed to travelling by foot, bike, public transport and occasional car hire.
• 2024 -Finally found a company making refillable glue sticks! 
• 2024 -Moved large video files from cloud to external hard drive.
• 2023 -Had my laptop refurbished, to extend its life, rather than replacing it.
• 2021 -Moved email hosting to Ecohosting. UK based, powered by renewables.
• 2014 -Joined Edinburgh Tool Library.
• 2007 -Switched to renewable energy supplier for home and studio. 
• 2004 -Switched from Barclays, to an ethical bank.
• 2002 -Began using scrap stores.

The Closing The Loop Makers are:

• Allison Macleod
• Ann Marie Shillito
• Aubin Stewart
• Carrie Fertig, CTL Facilitator
• Carol Sinclair, CTL Facilitator
• Clare Waddle, Yellow Broom, CTL Facilitator
• Eleanor Symms
• Hannah Ayre
• Inge Panneels
• Jeni Reid
• Katy Galbraith
• Lar MacGregor
• Vivienne Low

Friends of Closing The Loop:

• Lorna Fraser
• Siobhan Healy
• Stefanie Cheong
• Netty Sopata

Reciprocity Workshops

Are you interested in creative, environmentally sustainable making?
Know a lot about it, know a little, know nothing but want to find out more?
 
Come along to one of Closing The Loop’s fun, friendly, interactive in-person workshop events. We are aiming with these events to identify, support and develop sustainability practices in makers’ creative craft businesses. 
 
There are two free events in April to choose from, one in Huntly, Aberdeenshire and one in Edinburgh, supported through AAS’s Commoning Craft Fund.

We are providing opportunities for 15-20 makers to share a full day taking part in a practical workshop that has been designed to support the sharing of ideas, views, resources and materials. Please bring along scrap or unwanted materials, tools or photographs to share materials and processes with other workshop participants.

The aim of the day is also to collaboratively develop a resource that will be co-created and co-owned, by makers for makers, with information and tips to support sustainable making practices. During the events we aim to identify what might be wanted for future developments. This will help inform development of the Craft Toolkit with potential updates to the Sustainability section.

Please note:

• Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided
• Please bring your own lunch and a refillable water bottle
• There are good public transport links
• Please let us know how we can support your access needs, including step free access, when you book

|MATTER| Earth, Materials + Making Exhibition

The founding members of Closing the Loop – collaborated, exchanged materials / processes / and skills during a mini-residency at Hospitalfield in March 2022 – and exhibited in |MATTER| Earth, Materials + Making at The Barn Arts, part of their ‘Crafting Interconnections’ season, 10 September – 11 November 2022.

The research group grew from a workshop of the same name which AAS delivered in March 2020, in association with the Think Plastic: Materials and Making exhibition at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh; an exhibition of work resulting from the research and practice-based findings of the Smart Plastics group. Smart Plastics and Think Plastic are two key AAS projects that specifically address sustainability and environmental responsibility in material choices for makers.

The workshop’s title drew on the concept of circular economies, as described by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as looking ‘beyond the current take-make-waste extractive industrial model’, to offer an alternative framework based on three principles:

1. Design out waste and pollution
2. Keep products and materials in use
3. Regenerate natural systems

Hosting the workshop, Fiona Pilgrim led participants in the consideration of the lifecycle of materials and products they use and produce, taking into account five key stages: sourcing, manufacturing, transporting, using and recovering. She then introduced The ReSOLVE framework to support deeper and more specific assessment of what is required to successfully close the loop.

Feedback from workshop participants indicated that while the tools provided in the workshop were helpful, it was the discussion and sharing of ideas that proved to be most useful. It was therefore decided AAS would lead the formation of the new Closing the Loop research group to bring makers together to share ideas, tools and inspire one another to make changes in their practice. The group meets once a month to discuss and share their practical experience of using a variety of tools and methods for addressing sustainability and reducing carbon footprint.

The potential exists for this group to extend their learning to wider making and creative communities, whether through creation of a website to document and share findings or delivery of training modules (in-person or remote/digital).

There are significant opportunities for AAS to provide further support and provide leadership for the sector. The urgent need for behavioural change in our society to address the climate emergency is something that makers feel particularly strongly about, but often feel frustrated by the lack of clear information and guidance to help their decision making. Influencing governmental policy and funding strategies related to this (including through membership of existing networks) is a key priority for AAS.

Closing the Loop has been supported by Creative Informatics and The National Lottery’s Together for our Planet fund.

Currently, the Closing the Loop research group is running at capacity. If you want to know more and would like to enquire about joining, please email hello@appliedartsscotland.org.uk.