Thanks for your time Gavin, what should you be doing now if we hadn't interrupted you?
It's a busy time at the workshop with Spring just around the corner. We've just returned from Top drawer in London where we launched beepot to our trade customers, their response has been fantastic so we're working through our first production run at the moment.
How does a typical day look for you?
My days starts early with two young children and a labrador to walk. Drop offs done and Tarka walked its a quick drive over to the workshop in Perranporth, with a surf check en route! Whoever's first in lights the stove in the studio and gets the kettle on! I make bee bricks and beepots daily so de-moulding and recasting in the workshop takes priority. As a company we spend a lot of time developing and testing new ideas and a lot of time refining their manufacturing process to make Green&Blue products stand out, not only for their design but for their quality. Lunchtime is all about running. We head out as a team for 20 minutes along the river that flows out to the beach. It's sometimes tough to pull yourself away from the task in hand but the benefits are worthwhile, we firmly believe in the importance of a healthy body for a healthy mind and everyone at Green&Blue likes to get involved. Afternoons are about making orders and packing ready for dispatch. I work well at night, free from phones and other have to do's, design has never been a nine to five job and evenings suit me if I'm working on something that needs a clear head.
Your designs are both beautiful and functional, does one matter more than the other to you?
Our products are designed to function above all, we look at problems with existing products on the market and see how we can solve them. The way our range looks is crucial though, we like a clean line and a very simple aesthetic but this perfectly complements our design process. So possibly function just has the edge but the two are pretty tied up together.
What inspired you to start Green&Blue? Green&Blue marked a new chapter for my wife and I. Moving to Cornwall 11 years ago and starting our business set the foundation for doing things a little differently. We have always had a passion for wildlife and the outdoors, creating products inspired by nature in the beautiful surroundings of the north Cornish coast makes us feel very lucky.
Who inspires you in the world of design?
I formerly worked as a designer for James Dyson in Wiltshire, as a fresh faced graduate Dyson was a fantastic place to cut my design teeth. I'd read James' autobiography just after graduating and thought it sounded a brilliant place to work so badgered the creative director, Jim Turner, into seeing me. He liked my work and created a role for me. Within a week I was setting up a Dyson exhibition at the British ambassadors' house in Madrid for Spanish Press and trade customers! I was at the company at a great time when its was expanding into new markets with new products. Seeing how a large design and manufacturing business works was valuable experience which I draw on often. Weekly meeting with James were a real insight into what it takes to create market leading products.
Where do you see Green&Blue five years from now?
The future for Green&Blue is very exciting. We have pioneered a method for creating habitats that will become integral parts of our built environment, expanding our research to include other species under threat is paramount.
With the range growing and our customer base increasing we'll be growing our team of like-minded individuals, passionate about design and the natural world around us. I don't know exactly where we'll be in five years time but I'm really looking forward to the journey!
Thanks for your time Gavin. You can find out more about us on the 'Our Story' page on the website.