We made the trophies for the Cardiff Life Awards 2026
- May 21
- 2 min read
This year, we were asked to design and produce the trophies for the Cardiff Life Awards 2026 — the city's premier celebration of business, creativity, and community. The ceremony took place on 14th May at the National Museum Cardiff, bringing together over 280 guests for an evening that's now in its 11th year.
The brief was simple but meaningful: create something that felt genuinely rooted in Cardiff. So that's exactly what we did. The plaque is shaped like the city itself — a nod to the museum, to the event, and to the people it celebrates.
"The plaque is shaped like Cardiff itself — a nod to the museum and the people it celebrates."
What made this project different for us was the process. It was the first time we had used Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology to produce award trophies — and honestly, it was a revelation.
26
Trophies produced
16h
Total Print Time
All 26 awards were printed in just 16 hours. With traditional manufacturing methods, that timeline simply wouldn't have been possible. From there, each trophy went through cooling, post-processing, and a hand-applied metallic finish to achieve that final polished look.
Here's how the process broke down from print to podium:
MJF printing — All 26 trophies printed in a single 16-hour run, with exceptional dimensional consistency throughout.
Cooling & depowdering — Parts are allowed to cool gradually before excess powder is carefully removed.
Post-processing — Each piece is cleaned, inspected, and prepared for finishing.
Hand-applied metallic finish — A hand-polished metallic coat brings the final award to life, giving each trophy its distinctive look.
MJF gave us the consistency and turnaround we needed without compromising on detail. Every single trophy came out identical — and when there are 26 of them on a table at a prestigious awards night, that matters.
Designed in collaboration with the Cardiff Life team. Every detail, made in Cardiff.
We're incredibly proud to have been part of this event and look forward to seeing what the Cardiff Life Awards has in store for 2027.
Got a project that needs to be made in Cardiff?
Whether it's bespoke awards, functional prototypes, or short-run production parts — if you've got an idea, we can print it. Get in touch and let's talk about what MJF could do for your next project.
