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By Design: stories of revival in a time of change

  • Text by Huck
The shape of tomorrow — In a brand new series, produced in partnership with 99designs by Vistaprint, we celebrate small businesses across the UK, while exploring how design helps them achieve their respective missions.

At Huck we’ve always been about celebrating independent makers, thinkers, and doers. Which is why we’re excited to launch By Design, in partnership with 99designs by Vistaprint.

The series will celebrate small businesses across the UK, all while spotlighting the power of design in helping them do what they do. Over the next two months, we’ll share stories of solidarity and resilience: from social-enterprise organisations giving back to their communities, to the neighbourhood stalwarts that have been doing their thing for years.

After a difficult year, 99designs are helping these businesses step back into the world with a brand new visual identity, as well as a financial grant to help them as they enter their next chapter.

Follow along for more stories.

#01 How Whitley Bay Skate Club built a scene from scratch 

In the first instalment of By Design, we explore how a retro skate shop in the North-East became the launchpad for a thriving creative community.

#02 Meet the people getting Glasgow cycling

In story two, we take a ride with Bike For Good, an organisation working to make cycling more accessible in the Scottish city – and beyond.

#03 The ‘behind-bars’ coffee company transforming lives

In story three, we step inside Redemption Roasters, a “behind-bars” business working to reduce reoffending rates in the UK.

#04 Meet the family diversifying the world of greeting cards

In our new film, we meet Avila.Diana, a family business diversifying greeting cards with their unique designs.

#05 London’s paper-bag dynasty is forging a new future

Meet the Gardners, the family behind a business and East London staple still going strong after 150 years.

#06 The charity using football as a vehicle for change

Football Beyond Borders is a group using the beautiful game to reach young people in ways that others can’t.

#07 Meet the green-fingered student behind Botanical Babe

When the pandemic forced her to move back in with her parents, Tesni Boughen decided to turn her plant obsession into a new business.

#08 Meet the woman changing the yoga scene for the better

Sanchia Legister is on a mission to shift yoga culture away from white middle-class cliches.

#09 The LGBTQ bookshop bringing queer literature to the masses

Queer Lit is creating an online space for hundreds of LGBTQ writers.

#10 Meet the Syrian chef bringing a taste of home to Cambridge

In our last film, we meet Faraj Alnasser who has brought delicious Syrian cuisine to sleepy Cambridge.

By Design is an editorial series created with 99designs by Vistaprint, in which all participating businesses receive a design makeover, as well as a financial grant to help them embark on their next chapter. 

Take a look at the other 99 small business design makeovers on 99 Days Of Design.

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