Beaumont woman Lorna has designs on a bright future

A NORTHSIDE woman’s  creativity has been recognised in a design challenge.   

Lorna Quinn, from Beaumont, a first-year art and design student at the National College of Art & Design (NCAD) came second in the inaugural Kingspan ‘Reuse, Recreate’ design competition.

The student design challenge, created and sponsored by Kingspan Water & Energy, offered students from NCAD the opportunity to showcase their talents and get creative with second life material. 

The first-year students were tasked with redesigning an object using pellets from reclaimed Kingspan Oil Tanks, showcasing the importance of the circularity of plastic use.

Lorna used the pellets to create stunning pieces of jewellery inspired by natural greenery, and multifunctional fans. 

“The inspiration for my project started with the colour of the Kingspan resin material,” she said. 

“The deep green reminded me of the outdoors, leaves and grasses.  I found that the pellets from Kingspan were not only green, but also had traces of black too, and when mixed with other materials, the pellets created unpredictable patterns that were fun to work with and manipulate into different shapes.”

Lorna not only created a handheld fan, but she created stunning earrings and a statement bracelet inspired by leaves, all made from reclaimed plastic from oil tanks that has now taken on a new life as beautiful pieces of jewellery. 

Thomas Jefferson, marketing manager at Kingspan Water & Energy Ltd, said: “At Kingspan, we are committed to operating a sustainable business that delivers sustainable products and solutions. 

“But this doesn’t stop at a product’s lifespan. Innovation is an important part of our business and key to a more environmentally friendly future. 

“This is why we decided to team up with the young creatives of the future to design and create wearable art using Kingspan recycled pellets, bringing a second life to this material.”

As part of the ‘Reuse, Recreate’ initiative and to encourage the ongoing use of sustainable design, Kingspan donated a 3D printer to the college.

The students’ ‘Reuse, Recreate’ designs and creations were put on display in the NCAD gallery and judged by Irish designer Helen Steele, Dr Coílín Dubhghailc, Lecturer at NCAD and Thomas Jefferson from Kingspan Water & Energy Ltd.

Artist and fashion designer Helen Steele said: “As a past fashion student at NCAD and an advocate of sustainability, I was particularly interested in getting involved in ‘Reuse, Recreate’ project. 

“The importance of reusing materials already in existence is one that I champion, and I think it’s incredibly innovative for NCAD and Kingspan to come together to create a brief that both educates students and encourages new thinking.”