“Good taste is Subjective —feeling good isn’t”

A CONVERSATION WITH THE MATERIALIST

Offcuts are possibility. They’re adventure. They’re the part of the material that hasn’t been told what it’s supposed to be yet.

In a workshop, offcuts are usually what’s left over — the remnants, the trimmings, the pieces that don’t quite fit the plan. But those are often the most interesting parts. They have freedom.

Let’s start at the beginning. What are offcuts, to you?

You’ve spent your career working with materials at a much larger scale. Why focus on small objects now?

Small objects let you listen more closely.

When you’re working at scale, there are constraints — budgets, timelines, expectations. With small objects, you can play. You can respond to what the material wants to do instead of forcing it into a role.

And honestly, I like the intimacy of it. Something you can hold. Something that lives with you.

You often say, “Every material has its own personality.” What do you mean by that?

Materials tell you how they want to be handled — if you’re paying attention.

Leather has memory. Fabric has movement. Rubber resists. Plastic surprises you. You can’t treat them all the same and expect honesty in the outcome.

Quality always speaks. Not loudly — but clearly.

There’s a strong sense of play in this work. Is that intentional?

Very. Play is how you discover things you wouldn’t design on purpose. It’s how accidents become ideas.

We’re so used to thinking everything has to be efficient or justified. But good feeling matters. Good taste is subjective — feeling good isn’t.

Many of these pieces carry a strong sense of character and individuality. Is that intentional?

Very much so. I’m drawn to materials with history and presence, but the making is always deliberate. Working with offcuts is about selection and transformation — choosing the right parts and giving them a new life.

Repair has character. Novelty has a short attention span. I’m much more interested in objects that show their making — their joins, their marks, their story. Perfection is boring. Personality isn’t.

What should people know before buying something from Offcuts?

No two pieces are the same. And that’s the point.

These objects aren’t precious, but they are considered. They’re made from what’s left, with care and curiosity. They’re meant to be used, worn, lived with — not kept behind glass. If something makes you smile when you pick it up, that’s enough.