I run a small 3D printing business out of Berwick, in Melbourne’s outer south-east, printing and selling pieces I’ve fallen in love with along the way: masks, vases, shelves, and other little objects that are more fun to own than anything you’d find in a big-box store.

One thing that matters a lot to me is where these designs come from. Every piece in the shop is printed from files created by independent designers, real people who spend hours modelling, testing and refining before a design is ever ready to print. I source most of these through Hive, a marketplace built specifically for the 3D printing community, and I make a point of crediting the original designer on every listing, along with my Hive ID, so it’s clear the work is licensed properly and the people behind it get the recognition, and royalties, they’ve earned.

It would be easy to skip that step. Most customers would never know the difference. But I think it matters, these designers put real creative work into what ends up on your shelf, and buying a print from me should never come at their expense.

So when you see a line like “Original design by…” under a product description, that’s not just a formality. It’s a small thank-you to the person who actually created the thing you’re holding.

And the shop isn’t the whole story either, if you’ve already got your own design (or just an idea you’d like turned into one), I’m happy to 3D print that for you too. Just get in touch and we can chat about what you need.

Thanks for supporting a local Berwick business, and through that, a whole community of designers I’ll probably never meet in person but owe a lot to.