Sustainability isn’t as difficult as one might think. In the past few months we’ve seen so much in the way of using ecologically conscious materials, from t-shirts made entirely from eucalyptus and algae, to leather made from beer mash, to liquid soap bottles made from actual soap! The bottom line is, designers are always finding creative ways to deal with waste and to develop newer ways to manufacture products in a way that’s sustainable and circular. Take for instance Carlo Ratti’s Circular Orange Juice Bar, an innovative machine that uses every bit of the orange to provide a delightful drinking experience. At first, the oranges are laid out right on the top, in an innovative spiral rail. The oranges instantly become the juice bar’s branding, as their vibrant tangerine color is visible from a distance. Approach the bar, and the oranges, laid out in a nice umbrella shape, provide shade as you sip your juice. As for the juice, each orange is transported, cut, and squeezed by a machine fresh on the spot. The peel is discarded into the bottom pit which dries the waste out, pulverizes it to a fine powder, and binds it with PLA to turn it into a 3D printable filament. This filament is fed right into a 3D printer that prints your juice-cup right in front of you, with your freshly squeezed juice in it! You can discard each cup, as it’s completely biodegradable, giving you a product and experience that is derived from nature, and can return completely to nature with absolutely no impact!

Designer: Carlo Ratti Associati