MPB are the photography and videography equipment company … – It’s Nice That
By now, you’re probably aware that radical change is needed to transform our throwaway economy into one where resources are recirculated. MPB is one conscious company paving the way for a more sustainable creative industry by marrying two important facets: photography and recirculating kit. It is ultimately aiming to become 100 per cent circular, so that everything it uses from its packaging to furniture and equipment is re-used or made from renewable material.
When Matt Barker founded the company in 2011, it was under the belief that photography and videography kit should be accessible and affordable to more people. Moreover, he recognised the long-term value of such equipment, which is often of great quality, and built to last. Now, more than 350,000 items of used kit are recirculated through MPB every year. A team of highly trained camera experts and seasoned photographers and videographers – who love your kit just as much as you do – endeavour to see equipment given a new lease on life. After all, “The world of photography and videography is a mosaic of cultures, skills, obsessions and art,” MPB notes. “For some, it’s a job, for others a hobby, for many, it’s a craft, and for all, it’s a passion, and that passion needs to be fed.”
Wherever you are on that creative journey, experienced photographers, budding shutterbugs, and just about anyone that’s had the pleasure of holding a little light-tight box will understand the heartbreak when it inevitably gives in. Fortunately, there are plenty of camera repair tutorials on YouTube, as well as professional services. But there’s also the MPB way: sell, trade-in and buy a used camera before yours wears out. Breaking the cycle is no easy task, but MPB’s approach is comprehensive, spanning the inspection and reselling of quality used items to knowledge sharing and providing opportunities for talent. “We want to nurture creativity by making sure that tomorrow’s storytellers have access to kit to build their skills,” MPB detail. “Photography should be inclusive and accessible for everyone who wants in.”