Tag Archives: eco friendly design

SiO2 Clock made from diatomaceous earth is an eco-friendly adornment to your wall

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Even though a lot of kids now are not able to tell time by looking at a wall clock, there are still a lot of people who like having an actual clock hanging in their home. There is also no lack of product designers trying to create unique looking and even environmentally friendly designs for these analog time tellers. While we can always glance at our phones to tell time, there’s still something comforting about looking at the wall to tell time.

Designer: Yuichi Nara

The SiO2 Clock is created from diatomaceous earth that is found in large quantities in the Noto region in Japan. This material is normally used to make bricks and stoves but there are a lot of discarded waste material that just contributes to waste. So they used these unused materials and used a plastering technique traditional to the town of Kanazawa to create an eco-friendly and traditionally and locally-based wall clock.

There’s nothing really different about the basic design of the clock compared to others but because of the material and the technique used, it gives off a very earthy and warm vibe. It also employs a 3-D design achieved through die-cutting and distortion-free molding so there are shadows cast from the hands to tell time.

The SiO2 logo displayed on the clock above the hands is not just the name of the product but is also the chemical symbol of the main component of the diatomaceous earth. It’s available in several earthy colors (white, gray) but there’s also green and pink for those that may like a muted splash of color.

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Coperni x Disney tie-up unveils water-printed Ariel Swipe Bag

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As someone who always carries a lot of stuff wherever I go, I am not that much a fan of small bags. But if ever there will come a day when I’ll be comfortable just bringing a phone, small wallet, and a lipstick with me, the Coperni Swipe bag is on my shortlist of bags I’d like to have. Their latest version was unveiled at the Spring/Summer 2025 show held at Disneyland Paris, and it is a watery creation.

Designer: Coperni

The Ariel Swipe bag is inspired by The Little Mermaid and the “stunt” here is that it was created underwater. Through gravity-free 3D printing by Rapid Liquid Print, the bag is created from platinum-cured, recyclable silicone and is printed inside a water-based gel. The process differs from other traditional 3D printing methods as they “draw” the objects that are suspended in the gel so these soft, stretchable designs are not weighed down by gravity.

A video shows the printing process with a thin and sharp needle pushing through the gel and starting to create the shape of the bag that is of course, colored blue. When it reaches the top, the two loose ends are joined together to create the handle. A hand then reaches out to pull the bag from the gel and thus, the Ariel Swipe bag is born an supposedly ready to use. They say there’s no extensive post-processing needed so it saves materials and time.

There is no news yet when the bag will be available in its brand store and retail stores. But it’s sure to be another Coperni x Disney best-seller, just like the Mickey Mouse swipe bag that they previously released. It will probbly be around that price as well which is of course pretty expensive.

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Birdhouse lets budding ornithologists interact safely with the birds

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One of the more interesting and “interactive” ways we can commune with nature is by observing birds. There’s a reason why there are a lot of birdwatching groups and bird watchers themselves, even though it’s not always a hobby for everyone. While most of the time birds are observed in their natural habitat, there are also times when helping them nest in birdhouses is needed, especially during harsh weather.

Designer: Siberian Design Centre

Domik Ptashki is a wooden birdhouse that was especially designed to be attractive to both birds and humans but be as close as possible to the natural habitat and also be environmentally safe. The round shape is designed to resemble the natural tree hollow which birds take shelter in at times and also to reduce the impact of weather conditions like rain, snow, and wind. Its tophole also has a deep cylindrical shape to protect them from other predatory animals.

Because it has a low centre of gravity, the birdhouse can be fastened between the branches of a tree without the danger of damaging the tree itself or needing additional fasteners. It doesn’t have sharp corners that may harm the birds and it is also less visible in its natural environment. It is also made from natural materials and impregnations and can be assembled and disassembled easily.

The Domik Ptashki is meant to be used by humans to not just protect the birds but also take the position of an ornithologist. The designers recommend studying what’s the best place to put the birdhouse in and also comes with instructions on what to do with it once the birds leave this particular nest. It is meant to be used in places like gardens, parks, and personal plots so the minimalist design lets it blend seamlessly into the background.

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Card game helps kids learn about colours and be offline

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There is still an ongoing conversation (debate) amongst educators, parents, and psychologists on the amount of screen time that we should allow kids to have. Of course there’s a balance between screens and offline activities although that’s pretty hard to achieve. It’s also hard to wean this generation away from their devices but one way is to provide alternative activities for them at school and especially at home. And maybe, we can even get them to create their own alternatives.

Designer: Pupils from The Piggot School

The winner for this year’s Design Museum’s Design Ventura competition may be a fun alternative for children and adults alike. The Colour Countdown card game created by the pupils at The Piggot School was inspired by classic analog games Uno and I Spy. It can bring out the competitive spirit amongst players but also lets them interact with their surroundings instead of just focusing on various screens. This is an annual competition for students aged 13-16 to create something that will eventually be sold in the Design Museum.

Each card has a coloured cellophane window and can be combined with other cards to create different blends of colours. The players have to find things around their space which will match the card or cards that they’re holding. It can be played in any environment but of course since you’re dealing with colours, it is better played somewhere with a lot of colourful objects around. The cards are also eco-friendly as it uses FSC-certified paper and the cellophane is made from wood pulp.

The next step for the Colour Countdown is that it will be developed by the students with a professional agency. It will eventually be manufactured and then sold at the Design Museum Shop so you actually have the chance to own and play this game. Who says only kids need to be weaned away from their screens?

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Tower game made from marine plastic helps you think about environmental impact

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One of my plans in life when I eventually retire is to live somewhere near the beach and just have a daily walk along the shore. Aside from nature and people watching, another thing that I enjoy is to look at some of the things that people leave, intentionally or unintentionally, by the shore and in the water and wonder what’s the story behind it. Of course it’s not a good thing that these trash are left there so it will also be part of my routine to clean this up and think of ways to encourage people not to litter on the beach.

Designers: Shoma Furui and Kem Kobayashi

One idea that came from someone who has been seeing all these tiny pieces of trash left on the Makuhari Beach in Chiba City is to create a game out of them. Debris is a tower-stacking game similar to Jenga and Uno Stacko but is made from the marine plastic collected from the area. The tiles have different color patterns based on the season and the collection site where these microplastics came from. It uses VOC-free (no volatile organic compounds) and water-based acrylic resin as a binding agent.

While you’ll have fun playing the game (if this is your thing), the designer also wants to make Debris a way for consumers to engage with environmental issues. Regular beach clean ups do help keep the shore and water clean but there are also those tiny pieces that remain buried and erode into invisible microplastics. They have an effect on the marine environment that sometimes may not be so visible or obvious to us. Having a game made from these pieces can help us think about our effect on our environment.

It can also be interesting to think about what these colors and shapes were in their previous life as trash. But the important thing is that the materials and process in creating Debris is fully sustainable and it can be disposed of properly when you no longer need it. And hopefully, you get to think about what you’re doing to help preserve marine life and keep places like beaches a safe haven for all.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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