After the Last Sip
FAB.MEMBER AT FAB.PUB
Tea and coffee waste, reimagined through 3D printing
Designer Chao-Chun Kung joined Fab.Pub as a Fab.Member to develop After the Last Sip, a material research project exploring how used tea leaves and coffee grounds can be transformed into new materials for large-scale 3D printing.
Working from Fab.Pub’s London workshop, Chao-Chun combined his material research and design ideas with access to specialist equipment, technical guidance and fabrication support from the Fab.Pub team.
The resulting collection of furniture, lighting and sculptural prototypes demonstrates what designers can achieve when experimental ideas meet advanced fabrication facilities.
A Fab.Member project
Through Fab.Member, designer and researcher Chao-Chun Kung used Fab.Pub’s London workshop to develop After the Last Sip from early material experiments into full-scale printed prototypes.
Material development
The project began with used tea leaves and coffee grounds. At Fab.Pub, Chao-Chun accessed material-compounding equipment to process, test and refine these materials into printable compounds.
From testing to full scale
The materials progressed through small and medium-scale printing tests before moving to Fab.Pub’s large-scale system. Each stage helped refine the material behaviour, print settings and finished form.
Robotic fabrication
The final prototypes were developed using Fab.Pub’s KUKA robotic fabrication system. Our team provided machine induction, safety guidance, toolpath support, technical consultation and fabrication troubleshooting throughout the process.
Chao-Chun led the design and research, while Fab.Pub provided the facilities, technical expertise and production environment needed to bring the work to life.
From waste to product
The resulting collection brings material research into the realm of functional design. Tea and coffee waste is reimagined as furniture, lighting and sculptural objects, revealing the textures and visual qualities of bio-composite materials at full scale.
Rather than treating organic waste as an endpoint, After the Last Sip presents it as the starting point for new forms, applications and manufacturing possibilities.
The work demonstrates how experimental materials can move beyond initial samples to become tangible, full-scale designs.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Working with Fab.Pub
Every Fab.Member project begins with an agreed scope covering facility access, machine time and the level of technical support required.
Planning and induction
Fab.Pub helps members identify the appropriate equipment for their project, assess fabrication requirements and complete the necessary machine induction and safety processes.
Material and process development
Depending on the project scope, our team can support material compounding, print testing, machine setup, process refinement and fabrication troubleshooting.
Digital and robotic fabrication
Support can include toolpath preparation, robotic workflow development and guidance when working with Fab.Pub’s large-scale 3MT and KUKA fabrication systems.
Each project is structured around the designer’s requirements. The designer leads the creative direction and research, while Fab.Pub provides the facilities and agreed technical support needed to develop and fabricate the work.
For After the Last Sip, this collaborative approach enabled Chao-Chun to progress from early material experiments to full-scale printed prototypes.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Visit After the Last Sip
Presented as part of London Design Festival 2026, After the Last Sip is open at Fab.Pub from 12 to 18 September. Admission is free.
Venue: Fab.Pub, 22 Gossamer Gardens, London E2 9FN
Opening Night
Friday 11 September 2026
19:00–21:00
Weekend Exhibition
Saturday 12 to Sunday 13 September
11:00–18:00
Weekday Exhibition
Monday 14 to Friday 18 September
10:00–18:00
PROJECT COLLABORATORS
Chao-Chun Kung, Designer and Fab.Member · Ching-Yu Lin and Chen-Yang Chang, Collaborating Designers · Chih-Han Liu, Spatial Curator
Supported by the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, Ministry of Education, Taiwan.
FAB.MEMBER
Bring your project to Fab.Pub
After the Last Sip demonstrates how designers can use Fab.Pub to move an idea through material research, testing and full-scale fabrication.
Fab.Member is designed for creative practitioners who need access to specialist machinery, fabrication facilities and technical knowledge that may not be available within a conventional studio.
Depending on the agreed project scope, our team can provide machine access, induction, technical guidance and workflow support throughout the development process.
If you are investigating a new material, developing a prototype or exploring robotic manufacturing, speak to our team about working at Fab.Pub.