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Gluten Free Lunch Dinner Snack Salad Vegetarian Breakfast Sweets
Lighting Furniture TDF Shop Kids Art Rugs Jewellery Craft Tableware Accessories Plants + Flowers Gifts Ceramics Soft Furnishings

About

About Contributors Contact Advertising Frequently Asked Questions

Homes

Australian houses, from architectural masterpieces to suburban family homes, Victorian terraces, mid-century marvels, coastal shacks, city apartments, and everything in between.

ALL
Apartment
Architectural
Coastal
Country
Family Homes
Mid Century
Minimalist
Renovated
Tiny
Victorian

Architecture

Award-winning Australian architecture, inspiring homes, and interviews with Australia’s top architects.

ALL

Interiors

ALL
Kitchens

Art

Studio visits with Australia’s top artists, and unmissable art exhibitions in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and beyond.

ALL
Indigenous Art

Gardens

In depth features on Australia’s most beautiful gardens and landscape design.

ALL
Country Garden
Public Garden
Small Garden
Suburban Garden
Vegetable Garden

Travel

Unique travel destinations, design-led accomodation and day trip ideas in Australia and New Zealand.

ALL

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Studio visits with Australia’s most talented creatives, from artists to architects, ceramicists to stylists, furniture makers to lighting designers.

ALL
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-
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Art
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TDF Talks With KeepCup Co-Founder Abigail Forsyth

Podcast

KeepCup is the world’s first barista-standard re-usable coffee cup. Over the past 10 years, this Melbourne-based company has driven incredible awareness around the re-use movement, and they’ve saved billions (literally) of disposable cups from ending up in landfill.

Though they have offices and warehouses in London and Los Angeles, KeepCup’s head office is right here in Fitzroy!  I recently stopped by for an inspiring chat with co-founder and managing director Abigail Forsyth. The accomplished lawyer-turned-businesswoman reflected on the incredible growth of her business, and her next big challenge – advocacy and activism!

2nd May, 2019

KeepCup’s Managing Director Abigail Forsyth. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

KeepCup grew from 45 to 90 staff in 2018. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Members of the KeepCup team. Though the business began in 2007, it was another two years before the product hit the market, during which time they invested in hiring external expertise. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

KeepCups in various models and vibrant colourways. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Lucy Feagins
Thursday 2nd May 2019

After originally pursuing a career in law, Abigail Forsyth created the first KeepCup with her brother, Jamie, back in 2007. It’s hard to believe it now, but at the time, there was very little awareness around waste, and the problems with disposable packaging. And it certainly wasn’t a common sight to see anyone take a re-usable coffee cup to their local café. How things have changed!

This humble little Australian-designed product has had a profound effect on the world (I don’t get to say that as often as I would like!), so today we delve into the backstory behind it all, and where Abigail has her sights set next!

Oh, and all our podcasts come with pictures. When listening via iTunes / the Apple podcasts app, enjoy viewing relevant photographs and clicking through links while you listen!

 

Lucy Feagins
Thursday 2nd May 2019

Notes + Links

Abigail Forsyth is a judge for the Sustainable Design category of our just-announced TDF Design Awards!

Our Small Business columnist Fiona Killackey spoke to Abigail about the value of investing in external consultants in 2018 – lots of tips and inspiration here.

Find out more about KeepCup and their product range on their website and follow on Instagram @keepcup.

The last thing Abigail purchased online was this, all-natural plastic free replacement for toothpaste! (we’re intrigued!)

This is our 27th TDF Talks podcast, check all the others out here.

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Lucy Spartalis and Alastair Innes of She Takes Pictures He Makes Films share their renovated 1950s home in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges.
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This Mollymook property's incredible front garden by Dangar Barin Smith has inadvertently become a local tourist destination.
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The Design Files acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

First Nations artists, designers, makers and creative business owners are encouraged to submit their projects for coverage on The Design Files – we would love to hear from you.

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