SW X BU Design Wave Summer Social

Studio Wood’s X BU Design Wave First Summer Social

Our partnership with Bournemouth University runs deep. Both James Wood, our Founder, who studied Industrial Design and Sophie Godfrey, our MD, who studied Sports Marketing studied at BU, so supporting the next generation and strengthening connections within the local creative community has always felt like a natural fit.

When the team at Bournemouth University approached us about hosting a BU Wave Summer Social for the South Coast creative community, we were delighted to open our doors.

Over the years, we've hosted summer gatherings for local graphic designers and even organised boat parties with fellow creative studios. This year, however, was an opportunity to broaden the invite list and bring together an even wider mix of creatives from across the region.

It was fantastic to welcome guests not only from across the South Coast, but also from Bristol, London, Southampton and the Midlands. With the sun shining, the evening was an amazing chance to showcase Bournemouth at its best while creating new connections, catching up with familiar faces and celebrating the strength of the creative community that continues to grow around it.

We were delighted to welcome a fantastic group of people from businesses including; A2V, Aetha, Brothers Make, Chilly’s, Element Creative, Forme, Design Truth, Mathmos, NLG, Gozney, Salad Creative, Studio Glass, Tangerine, Tom Studio, Tentbox and VaultX amongst a bunch of other freelancers, graphic designers and creatives.

The evening kicked off with Studio Wood's Song and Jamie behind the bar, serving local Eight Arch beers alongside a selection of cocktails poured from the Chilly's Big Mouth, one of the latest products we designed in collaboration with the Chilly's team, who were also joining us for the evening.

As the evening got underway, Sophie from Studio Wood and Abi from Bournemouth University welcomed everyone with a short introduction, thanking guests for coming and encouraging them to make the most of the evening, meet someone new, and enjoy the free pizza and drinks.

To keep the atmosphere going, Delia from Aetha on the decks, while the brilliant team at Pizza with Love served freshly made pizzas throughout the night.

The conversations continued well into the evening, and by 11.30pm we reluctantly had to encourage everyone to head home. It was a weeknight after all, and we all had work to get back to the next morning.

Overall, the evening was a huge success. It was fantastic to reconnect with familiar faces while welcoming plenty of new ones into the Studio Wood community. Bringing together such a diverse group of creative people is exactly what these events are all about, and we can't wait to do it again.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the evening. A special mention to Abi and Tim for trusting us to host the BU Wave Summer Social. We hope it won’t be the last and we’re open to a mould wine version this winter! Special thanks to Delia, Bret, Song, Jamie and Celine for helping us make it possible.

The response over the past week has been so great, everyone was in such a good mood that evening and we feel lucky to have such a wonderful creative community on our doorstep. We are always open to feedback about our events and to new ideas - so if you have an idea or an event you’d like our help hosting please get in touch with Sophie.

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Studio Wood Lush Green Hub Tour

Studio Wood’s second tour of Lush’s Green Hub

Group Photo at the end of the Lush Green Hub Tour

Following the fantastic response to last year's visit, on 21st July Studio Wood returned to Lush's pioneering Green Hub in Poole, Dorset for a second behind-the-scenes tour. Bringing together a new group of clients, collaborators and friends of the studio, the morning was an opportunity to connect with like-minded people who share a passion for purposeful design, innovation and circular thinking.

In partnership with the brilliant team at Lush, we once again stepped inside the Green Hub, an inspiring space where materials are given a second life and sustainability is embedded into everyday operations. While the destination was familiar, the conversations were entirely new, with fresh perspectives, questions and ideas sparked by seeing how one of the UK's most forward-thinking brands puts its values into practice.

Behind the scenes during the tour of The Lush Green Hub, Poole, Dorset

We were delighted to welcome a fantastic group of people from brands aspiring to make a positive impact in their own industries, including Citizens of Soil, Gozney, Kohler Mira, Mustard Made, Naked Paper, Smol, Tentbox and VaultX. The morning was filled with thoughtful conversations, new connections and plenty of inspiration, all accompanied by the unmistakable scent of Lush.

The visit began with teas and coffee and a chance to catch up before Studio Wood's Managing Director, Sophie Godfrey, welcomed everyone and introduced the morning. From there, Alex from the Lush Green Hub team led us on a tour of the facility, sharing how Lush is rethinking waste through innovative recycling processes, material recovery and circular design principles. It was an opportunity to see first-hand how sustainability is woven into the day-to-day running of the business, with practical ideas and insights that sparked plenty of discussion along the way.

Alex, our Lush Green Hub Tour Guide introducing the hub

After the tour, guests heard from several members of the Lush team, including Ruth (Environmental & Earthcare Partner), Nick (Creative Buyer) and Brigitte (Packaging & R&D Manager). Together they shared an honest look at how sustainability influences every part of the business, from responsible sourcing and supplier relationships to packaging innovation and long-term systems thinking. Their openness about both the opportunities and challenges made for an engaging discussion and sparked plenty of thoughtful questions from the group.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversations throughout the morning. We're especially grateful to the Lush team for welcoming us back to the Green Hub and for generously sharing their knowledge and experience. Special thanks to Elisha and Alex and the wider Green Hub team for making the visit so insightful and inspiring.

The response since the event has been incredibly encouraging, and we're excited to continue creating opportunities for like-minded brands and people to connect, learn from one another and share ideas. Here's to many more conversations like these.

To find out more about the Lush Green Hub, click here. - click here.

Lush moulds