Sustainable Art: Flip It!

What inspired you to start FLIPIT?

It all began in the middle of Lockdown 1.0 when we ended up with a pallet in our flat; god knows what for, we seem to always have something random lying around! After staring at it for a week or so, Maddie decided at about 8 o’clock at night to turn it into a coffee table (sorry, neighbours!). She’d never made a coffee table before, we also didn’t need a coffee table, but clearly, it was meant to be! Our friend bought it from us before it was even complete and FLIPIT! was born.

How do you ensure sustainability within your business?

Everything we use to make our furniture (apart from the screws that hold it all together) has had a life before FLIPIT! Our material of choice is pallet wood, mostly because there is LOTS of it to spare and it often gets wasted and soaked on street corners. Although we have also used old and broken pieces of furniture that are about to go to landfill or have ended up for sale for a couple of pounds in charity shops, old bicycle wheels rescued before landfill, and even old clothing! We aim to make sure our products are at least 90% recycled materials.

What sustainable habits do you have in your daily life that you recommend everyone adds to theirs?

Honestly, get serious about recycling! Don’t just half-arse it, fling stuff in random bins when you are lazy or don’t bother when you are out and about. Know what goes where, take your glass to the glass bin, and bring your rubbish home to recycle. Yes, I’ll admit, my car is ALWAYS a mess and filled with rubbish but at least I am suffering instead of the environment. Also, always, always, always, try to find it second-hand before you buy it brand new!

What inspired you in creating these wonderful and insanely unique pieces of art?

We cannae sit still! We’re constantly looking for a way to challenge ourselves, and after falling a bit in love with interior design after moving into our first flat together, furniture and interiors became our next challenge. Being creative is our medicine for every ailment, it keeps us sane and goodness me, we needed to make sure we were well looked after this year!

This issue is all about “ageing” and we know that you love a good upcycle, why do you think it is so important to give life to old items?

Listen, the world is dying and we all gotta do our bit. Plus, think how sad the old things get when people stop loving them! We come along, give them a makeover and then they feel brand new again. I’d want someone to do that to me if I was an old chest of drawers. Finally, upcycled pieces are always ten times more beautiful than what you buy in IKEA.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to try upcycling?

Be creative, don’t sh*t it, just do it, and you cannae really get it wrong!

What is your favourite thing you’ve made so far?

We made an unusually small dining table for a lovely couple’s lockdown Christmas! It was super cute, and we probably never would have made something like it if they hadn’t approached us for a custom piece!

What would you like to continue the voice on right now?

Think like a child and a cardboard box becomes a castle! Use that kind of imagination and creativity to find the beauty in things – whether that be old furniture/clothing or just the world around you in general!

In the spirit of our theme of ‘ageing’, what piece of advice would you give to your younger self?

Push yourself because nothing is beyond your limits – and trust your instincts!

Where can our readers find you? On the ‘gram – and the website.

Words by Kirsty Taylor