I’m onemiddlechild. I make materials that behave better than people expect, and I write down the messy parts so the next person doesn’t have to start at zero.

This blog is the receipts: what I tried, what worked, what cracked, and why I still pressed it anyway. If you’re here for glossy myths, you're in the wrong door. If you’re here to build real things, welcome in.

Why research in public? Because materials move faster than gatekeeping. When we open the notebook, share the “almosts,” and publish the parameters, we shave months off someone else’s learning curve. That’s how a studio becomes a community: not by hoarding breakthroughs, but by turning experiments into common knowledge, so more people can make more beautiful, durable, lower-impact things.

What this blog is: a living lab manual for thin, flexible, jacket-grade bioleather. You’ll find straight-shooting recipes, controls you can actually pull (pH, temp, plasticizer splits), and the science in human language. The tone is practical; the finish can be satin; the humor is on brand.

What this blog is not: It’s not a secret handshake. It’s not “vibes in lieu of data.” It’s not a flex. If something failed, we say so, and we say exactly how to fix it or how to fail faster next time.

About me (and you): Maybe we grew up allergic to “that’s just how we do it.” So we measure, tinker, try something new, and we do it all over again. The work lives between studio craft and lab habit: hands in the pot, eyes on the numbers. If this sounds like you (designer, scientist, student, material gremlin), hi! Pull up a tray, and let’s make a mess together.

The Community Bit: Research in Public isn’t just a title; it’s a contract. We document. We attribute. We share outcomes (especially chaos). We keep it humane. We leave breadcrumbs for the future you.