14.09.2019
Saturday marked the first day of Freshers at Staffordshire University and the first day my Green Week tote bag competition winning design went on sale. The tote bags will be on sale throughout all Students Union shops, encouraging the use of re-useable bags instead of plastic. 

It was a very exciting moment seeing them behind the counter and I can't wait to see students or staff around campus using them. 

As well as being on sale within the SU shops, for the first years move in day on Saturday there was a stall in the Brindley building selling the competition winner's bags, along with other Staffordshire University merchandise.

The tote bags were paid for using the money made from the sale of plastic carrier bags. The proceeds from the tote bags will go back towards further Green Week competitions, and making our University more sustainable and greener.

I am very pleased with how the bags have turned out and the opportunity the competition gave me, and I look forward to future design competitions. 

06.05.2019
Back in February as part of Green Week at Staffordshire University, our Students Union held a design competition using a short brief that was sent out to the School of Creative Arts and Engineering students. The brief explained the design will be printed onto tote bags and sold in the Union shops, encouraging students to use reusable canvas bags instead of plastic. 
The theme was love your planet, and the design could be anything from a comic strip, to a pattern or pun, but had to be no bigger than 250mm x 250mm. The closing date was 15th February, and I entered 3 designs. 
Out of these 3 designs, 2 were chosen within the final 6, and were to be voted on via Facebook likes. The design with the most likes would have the opportunity to have their design printed on 100 bags and sold, and this was an opportunity I didn't want to miss! As this semester I have been focusing on plastic pollution and the impact human behaviour is having on the environment, this was another opportunity to raise awareness and reduce the amount of plastic being produced/sold on campus.

The deadline for voting was up and the competition was complete. I won First and Third place. This was a fantastic achievement as I had never ventured into design before and can't wait to see my design printed and sold. The winning design (say no to plastics) received a total of 68 likes/votes, and the third place design (save your 10p), 23. 
I am still currently waiting for the design to be printed and put in shops, but I am looking forward to having my design mass produced and commercially sold. Being able to purchase my first professionally printed design is another great opportunity I was able to gain this semester. 

https://www.facebook.com/staffsunion/photos/a.10156124214717548/10156124214782548/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/staffsunion/photos/a.10156124214717548/10156124214982548/?type=3&theater