Tag Archives: eco friendly design

Japanese-inspired furniture line is made from recyclable, colorful fabric

Posted on by

There are pieces of furniture that serve their purpose in your living space even if they’re not always that well-designed. Then there are those that you don’t really understand what they’re for but they’re just so pretty or fits into your aesthetic that you just know you need to have them. Of course if those pieces are also sustainable and eco-friendly, that’s a great bonus. Well, it would also be great if they can actually do what they’re supposed to do while looking pretty and saving the earth.

Designer: Nendo for Paola Lenti

Italian furniture brand Paola Lenti unveiled their collaboration with Japanese design firm Nendo at the Milan Design Week. The Hanara-shi series of furnishings and complements look like art pieces at first glance. Their shapes and designs are inspired by Japanese culture of course, specifically the cherry trees that are starting to be in full bloom in Japan right now. There’s also some inspiration from ancient samurai armours if you look closely at the fabrics and patterns.

While their colors are really attractive and eye-catching, I couldn’t figure out at first what they were supposed to be. But upon closer inspection (of the photos and the website), there are suspended lamps, baskets, floor lamps, armchairs, and poufs/ottomans included in the collection. The fabric used is Maris mesh which is recyclable and made from 100% polypropylene waterproof material. Unlike other furniture which starts from the design, this one started from showing the fabric that they will be designing and that’s when the ideas started to flow.

Since the material is rigid, marbled in colour but textured, flexible, and malleable, they were able to fold and wrap them on themselves to create this line of products. There are of course welded elements to put them all together but the main star of this Hanara-shi series is definitely the fabric and how they designed it to create these pieces of furniture. The upholstery and inlays used are also recovered cutoffs from previous processes so you can say that not only are they beautiful but they’re also friendly to the earth.

The post Japanese-inspired furniture line is made from recyclable, colorful fabric first appeared on Yanko Design.

Wooden wheelchair adds an eco-friendly and aesthetic aspect to a mobility aid

Posted on by

There are a lot of well-designed wheelchairs currently in the market for those who need mobility aids to get around. Most of them use basically the same materials and will have a few differences in terms of features and functionality. A new wheelchair design that is eco-conscious but also aesthetically appealing was recently unveiled and its first beneficiary is one of the most famous people on Earth that needs a wheelchair to get around – Pope Francis.

Designer: Paul de Livron

The Apollo Wooden Wheelchair was designed by Paul de Livron, a French craftsman and designer who has been making his own wheelchair models ever since he broke his spine and had to use wheelchairs back in 2013. He was finally able to create a wooden wheelchair prototype that is eco-friendly and can use locally available materials as well as not so expensive and also not that complex.

Aside from the fact that the materials used are sustainable, the other “superpower” that the wooden wheelchair possesses is that it changes the way that other people will look at those who will be using this unique-looking mobility aid. The wooden aesthetic adds an interesting aspect to something that used to be purely functional and was in fact a source of embarrassment to some of its users.

Early last year, they presented an enhanced prototype of the wheelchair to Pope Francis who has been using a wheelchair to get around because of his constant knee pain. de Livron was actually given piece of wood from the medieval frame of the Notre-Dame Cathedral to incorporate into the wheelchair and he also put in some other religious details to make it a wheelchair worthy for a pope.

The post Wooden wheelchair adds an eco-friendly and aesthetic aspect to a mobility aid first appeared on Yanko Design.

Tableware gets a new innovation with walnut shell materials becoming the new normal

Posted on by

Designers love the term sustainability as it is their go-to when they can’t think of another way to sell their designs!! (I’m sure every designer would relate)

On a more serious note, they strive to construct a future along those lines because everyone is now aware of its importance and it is no longer a buzzword. Companies are now taking steps to ensure that their operations are sustainable, and governments are introducing regulations to encourage more sustainable practices.

Designers are becoming more aware of the value of a more in-depth, process-oriented approach. One such Korean designer observed the staple use of tableware in people’s lives and created a 100% natural material as an alternative to glass, ceramics, and other traditional raw materials used to manufacture tableware.

Designer: SooA Choi

Ceramics are the most used materials for the production of tableware. These materials are great but involve a lot of unsustainable properties concerning production. The material is complex to machine and can lose structural integrity if cut incorrectly or with the wrong tools. It requires high levels of expertise and leads to the wastage of raw materials. Machining ceramics and CMCs can be capital-intensive.

NOS is a mixture of walnut shells, pine resin, and Canauva Powder. It presents new CMFs with diverse colors, patterns, and light transmission as a result of grinding enormous volumes of walnut shells into various sizes. The primary binding agent is pine resin.

After being separated from the kernel, the shell of a walnut is considered waste and is discarded. The waste can be transformed into an entire plate from which to eat. Converting waste into a resource is an important aspect of sustainability.

The qualities of a walnut shell and wood overlap and can be used in everyday situations. Walnut shells are dry and hard, which works to their benefit since it stops insects from entering via holes and crevices, and it also makes them almost odorless. Pine resin is tree sap that is naturally antimicrobial and safe to consume in tiny doses. However, the soldering of pine resin is hazardous to one’s health and should be avoided during the manufacturing of NOS. Walnut shells are more durable than other natural materials, which wear away with frequent use.

The manufacturing technique for this material is quite simple and highly sustainable; no artificial additives are used. It only needs the appropriate ratio of binders, a mold, and ground walnut shells. To produce the required shape, the substance is poured into the mold. In the event of undesirable results during the NOS production process, the previous procedures can be repeated and no product is wasted. The completed form removed from the mold is fired at a high temperature of over 400 degrees to apply the glaze. Carnauba wax is poured onto it to increase durability and prevent scratches.

NOS is a versatile material used in various forms and sizes. As suggested it is used for tableware like small and large plates, glasses, vases, etc. It can also be used for other decors around the house since the aesthetic value of the finished piece complements a zen interior design.

The post Tableware gets a new innovation with walnut shell materials becoming the new normal first appeared on Yanko Design.

The World’s largest spokeless ferris wheel is coming up in Seoul

Posted on by

Large ferris wheels seem to now be a landmark and tourist spot for a lot of large cities like London, Vienna, Budapest, Singapore, Dubai, etc. They provide a gorgeous view of the city to the people who fall in line (sometimes for hours) and also serve as part of the landscape for those viewing it from the ground. We will most likely see plans for more wheels to even more cities as it’s a pretty popular thing to do when visiting a place for the first time.

Designer: Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul has become one of the most popular cities to visit as Kpop, Kdramas and Korean food continue to conquer the world. The city government has now unveiled plans to add another thing for tourists and citizens to visit in what will possibly become the largest spokeless Ferris Wheel in the world. The Seoul Ring is set to start construction by 2025 and will be located in a former trash disposal site that is named after the sky or heaven. Haneul Park is now an ecological park when previously it was where a lot of the city’s garbage was dumped.

The ferris wheel will have a diameter of 591 feet and will have 36 glass carriages that can carry 25 occupants each. Aside from being visually stunning and give visitors a beautiful view of the city, it will also be environmentally friendly as it will be running on green energy. The “ring-without-spokes” design will use recycled energy, including solar power, adding to the eco-friendly theme of the park. They’re also planning to use augmented-reality to project things on the cubicles’ walls, like a virtual tourist guide while riding the wheel.

Haneul Park is actually close to North Korea so they also want it to become a symbol for their wish for a unified Korea. They’re expecting it to be able to carry up to 12,000 people every day when it will finally be completed by 2027 (hopefully). They local government will be investing around $411 million for this project as they look forward to having even more tourists visit the city. Hopefully, the Seoul Ring will become another draw to Seoul, among all the other things you can already do in the city.

The post The World’s largest spokeless ferris wheel is coming up in Seoul first appeared on Yanko Design.

These eco-friendly pop-up shelters can be transported in a suitcase

Posted on by

In some of the futuristic tv shows or movies that we watch, we see things that seem small but contain multitudes inside or that are actually big when unpacked. We’ve come to the point though that these are not just sci-fi things but actual, real-life products or at least prototypes. We’ve seen some literal pop-up things that can easily be packed, transported, and then unpacked and constructed, solving some problems we may have when it comes to portability and assembly.

Designer: Maawa

Maawa X is a waterproof and solar-powered pop-up housing solution that can be used for emergency or refugee situations or even for homeless camps that need sturdier housing. While it is still patent-pending, it is a very innovative kind of house that can fit into a suitcase when being transported and can fit 1-2 people when unfolded as it is able to expand to a 3.5 cubed meters house. You don’t even need tools or complicated kinds of assembly lines when putting it up as they say it’s basically like assembling a box.x

The entire house is constructed from cardboard but it is integrated with solar panels so it can protect you from weather conditions (although extreme weather may be too much of course) and give you power as well. It weighs only 13.7 kg so it can be transported through a suitcase to anywhere in the world where it is needed. It is also more eco-friendly than the plastic tents that are used in most settlement camps. The material is recyclable and biodegradable and can be re-used or turned into something else after it has been used.

The Maawa X also has a digital infrastructure so that the organizations can keep track of the units across various sites where they will use it. They are hoping that these eco-friendly shelters will be a solution for millions of people worldwide who may be in need of temporary housing. Hopefully these emergency shelters are sturdy enough to keep the people inside them safe and secure in the short time that they are in need of them.

The post These eco-friendly pop-up shelters can be transported in a suitcase first appeared on Yanko Design.

Minimalist stool made from recycled aluminum boasts a carbon footprint lower than the European average

Posted on by

A lot of people have become more conscious about how the things that they consume are produced. A lot of brands and products have also jumped onto this bandwagon or hopefully, new lifestyle. Some of these are just cashing in on an eco-conscious society while some are pretty serious about really creating things that can be sustainable and at the same time, not giving up on the aesthetics and even adding affordability as a consideration. Furniture brand JOY Objects is one of those and their latest piece brings together “progressive design, small-scale production, and reasonable prices”.

Designer: Fredrik Paulsen

The JOY Stool One can be a side table, a chair, or whatever you need it to be. But what makes this minimalist piece of furniture stand out, so to speak, is that it is produced from recycled aluminum and can actually claim that it is produced with a lower carbon footprint. It is actually the first piece of furniture that is based on Hydro Extrusion’s Swedish EPD or Environment Product Declaration. Its carbon footprint is 3.58 kilo CO2 eq. per kilogram of aluminum produced. In case those numbers don’t mean anything to you, it is actually lower compared to the European average in the industry.

In terms of the design, it maintains the minimalist aesthetic we’ve come to expect from Swedish designers but also brings a bit of playfulness to its look. The Hydro Restore Innovate aluminum and recycled acrylic brings it a shiny but at the same time, peaceful and Zen vibe. Its simple square and transparent look means you can use it as a side table for your drinks or books. Whatever you place on it seems to become a bit cooler and instagrammable.

But of course, as stated in its name, it can also be used as a stool. It may look delicate but the aluminum should be sturdy enough to hold a human. I don’t know how comfortable you’ll be on it but at least you would also look picturesque. And the important thing about the JOY Stool One is that the makers mean it when they say they it is sustainable, from the materials to the manufacturing to the packaging. The price may be a bit steeper than other stools but it should be worth it.

The post Minimalist stool made from recycled aluminum boasts a carbon footprint lower than the European average first appeared on Yanko Design.

Chandelier with glass leaves uses algae to serve as an air purifier

Posted on by

I’m not a chandelier kind of person so I will probably never be on the lookout for anything like that for my house. But whenever I see something that’s pretty interesting or looks elegant or unique, I would stop and admire it and sometimes maybe even figure out what materials they used for it. To be honest though, I would rather look at “natural” things like flowers, trees, sunlight, etc. But what if there was something that combines the two and is also helping the environment?

Designer: Julian Melchiorri

This is what we get with the “living” chandelier Exhale, which not only lights up your space but also is able to purify the air around you. The design engineer and biotechnologist who created this was also responsible for the first synthetic biological leaf and so he also was inspired by that for his latest design. He received the Emerging Talent Award during the London Design Week where the chandelier was also on display.

Exhale is made up of 70 glass leaves that contain green algae. This is the component that lets the chandelier absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This way, it’s not just decorative but also serves as your air purifier while doing its main purpose of lighting up your room. The algae actually filters through the light so you get a green glow kind of aesthetic lighting. The entire thing is also modular so you can arrange it the way you want or need it to look.

It should be able to work both inside and outdoors, although for the latter, you probably don’t need the lighting function except at night. But if you just need it for air purifying purposes, you can just place it where you will need the air to be better.

The post Chandelier with glass leaves uses algae to serve as an air purifier first appeared on Yanko Design.

This three-way pencil sharpener lets you connect small pencils by screwing them together

Posted on by

Have you ever tried writing with a small pencil? Honest to god, it’s a mighty struggle. Small pencils are cute and can fit right behind your ear, but they’re a usability nightmare… although Wang Cheng has a nifty solution to this problem. Just connect a small pencil to a larger one like cabins on a train. Cheng’s Eco-Friendly Pencil Sharpener lets you do just that. With three sharpening areas, Cheng’s design lets you conventionally sharpen a pencil as well as thread or tap them, turning them into wooden screws that can then be screwed into one another.

A winner of the Red Dot Design Concept Award, the Eco-Friendly Pencil Sharpener increases the lifespan of those tiny pencil stubs simply by allowing you to elongate them. Thread one end of the small pencil and tap a larger pencil, and you can simply screw one pencil into another, making it a bigger pencil that lasts longer and reduces waste. Pretty nifty, no?!

Designer: Wang Cheng (Dwfuture Design)

The post This three-way pencil sharpener lets you connect small pencils by screwing them together first appeared on Yanko Design.

Eco-friendly food container gives a playful moment to picky eaters

Posted on by

One of the most common problems that parents of young children face is to make their kids finish their food, especially if it’s something they don’t like. They employ a lot of tricks and rewards just to get their kids to eat their veggies but they don’t always get results. Some kids do grow out of picky eating while some carry this habit over into adulthood. Parents and guardians do need all the help they can and sometimes, it can come in the actual containers that the food are placed in.

Designer: Wonjun Jo

At first glance, this product concept to help kids eat and finish their food seems to have no connection to picky eating. Float looks like regular food storage that kids can bring to school but upon closer inspection, it is a bit more interesting. It is made from sustainable materials with the body itself and the spork that comes with it made from CXP or Cellulose X-linked Polymer. The cap or cover is made from Polypropylene while the ring is from silicone. The entire thing consists of the main container, a side dish tray, and a spork (spoon and fork in one, in case you didn’t know what that is).

The shape of the container is inspired by a ship and that’s where the helping picky eaters comes in. Before starting to eat, parents are encouraged to talk to their kids about the perils of leftover food. After eating, you can then float the container in water and depending on how much leftover food is there inside, the ship will lose its balance and sink or if they finished everything, it will float. This gives a bit of interactivity in trying to convince kids to eat all of their food.

Not being a parent, I’m really not sure if this will actually convince kids to eat food that they may not always like. If your kid is into nautical things, they might have fun in assembling and disassembling the container and may want to see the “ship” float and therefore finish their food. At the very least, you get an eco-friendly food container that they can use for school or even at home.

The post Eco-friendly food container gives a playful moment to picky eaters first appeared on Yanko Design.

Mussel shell waste is a sustainable alternative to traditional glass making techniques

Posted on by

With people becoming more conscious about consumption, waste, and other things related to the environment, there are a lot of designers always on the lookout for more eco-friendly materials. We’re seeing a lot of experimentation and research into looking for waste and other things that can be recycled and upcycled into sustainable materials for building other things. Glassmaking is one of those industries that use a lot of highly processed and sometimes unsustainable materials so finding an alternative to all of this is a priority for some.

Designer: Bureau de Change and Lulu Harrison

A group of architects based in London and a design student looked into finding such an alternative to be used in the glassmaking industry. They discovered that the quagga mussel, a species of freshwater mussels, can actually be used as an ingredient in creating glass tiles. By mixing the quagga mussel shell waste with local sands and waste wood ash, they were able to create a “unique glass recipe” which can theoretically be used in building designs in the future.

This new bio-material is named Thames Glass and the initial output using this material are some 3D printed molds with decorative patterns. The design is inspired by the terracotta chimney pots of Royal Doulton, a ceramics manufacturer. Not only are they looking at using these tiles for building designs, but they also want to use them to design carafes and tumblers. With people now more conscious about bringing their own water instead of buying bottled water, this can become another way to bring this full circle.

Quagga mussel shells are usually found clogging up the water pipes, a problem that has been a thorn on the side of Thames Water, a private company that supplies most of the water in the greater London area. They’ve spent millions of pounds every year just to remove these shells and sometimes ineffectively. But if you can turn this annoying waste into something useful, then not only do you solve the clogging problem but you also create an eco-friendly solution.

The post Mussel shell waste is a sustainable alternative to traditional glass making techniques first appeared on Yanko Design.