A keyring, notebook, pen… Practical but not particularly original, these are staples of the promotional merchandise world. But what if your faculty is full of talented people bursting with creativity and technical skill? Meet the “Made by FME” collection – promotional items you won’t find anywhere else.

The first original products were created in the Faculty’s foundry, where metal spinning tops were designed and cast to mark the 125th anniversary of FME. They were followed by keyrings that double as shopping trolley tokens, designed and produced by colleagues from the Institute of Manufacturing Technology.

Student teams also came up with ideas of their own, including original rulers by TU Brno Racing and model gliders made by the Chicken Wings team themselves. Jan Vítek from the Institute of Machine and Industrial Design used 3D printing to produce ceramic mugs for coffee and tea. Industrial design students designed merchandise for the entire University as part of their coursework.

And so the “Made by FME” collection was born. “It makes sense to us to invest time and energy in things that offer added value and genuinely bear the mark of our Faculty,” says Pavlína Slováková from the FME Marketing and External Relations Department, who is responsible for promotional merchandise. Many of the products are made in small batches and serve as VIP gifts for distinguished visitors, but they are all available to buy at the Faculty’s Strojobchod shop.

“For larger items, we try to include an information card with the packaging that tells their story: who made them, where they were made, and that they are the work of our students or staff,” Slováková adds. This year, the Faculty has also expanded its collaboration with FME alumnus, illustrator and writer Martin Sodomka. “Alongside his book from the Technical Fairy Tales series, we now also offer the ‘Beautiful Machines of Czechoslovakia 2027’ calendar, in which Mr Sodomka presents twelve of his own realistic illustrations of historic cars, motorcycles and other machines, each created with extraordinary attention to detail,” she concludes.