ilvy jacobs: graduation collection bags
by: Designboom - Weblog, 2010-10-31 18:30:00 UTC

'crunch bags' by ilvy jacobs


for her graduation project, product designer ilvy jacobs has created
a collection of handbags from unconventional, fibrous materials such
as crumpled up paper and tyvek. interested in exploring the notion of
transforming the disposable paper bag, jacobs aims to give more value
to both the material and the user through her body of work.



profiles


'crunchbags' is a series consisting of four durable sports bags, specifically for
tennis, bowling, golf and regular workout. lightly resembling the look of
tanned and weathered leather, the material was made from combining paper bags
with cotton in a laminating process.



(left) gold paper crunchbag
(right) process shots



'foldbags'
photographer: igor kruter


by pinching and folding a normal brown paper bag into a new silhouette,
'foldbags' was designed with the intention of giving a new view on
the commonly disposed item.



front



process and ideas



'cordbag' in pink and blue


'cordbags' is a collection of bags made from tyvek, a fibrous and synthetic material
that is hard to tear. the design emphasizes on the packaging of products and
the resulting visual implication it has on the item.



(left) cordbag in grey
(right) process shots


Portable Solar Power Plant, Water Purifier and Fuel Cell in One
by: Eco Geek Latest, 2010-10-21 18:27:57 UTC

In many areas of the world, and also during times of natural disasters, clean drinking water and access to power are scarce.  The company The Essential Element has designed the Hydra water purifier and fuel cell to take care of both of those problems at once.

The Hydra is equipped with a 2.88 kW solar panel array that runs a pump that pushes water through a self-cleaning filtration device (capable of purifying 87,000 liters a day), juices up lead-acid gel batteries and runs an electrolyzer that splits some of that water to fill a .37 cubic-meter tank with pressurized hydrogen.

The fuel cell can be used to power communication devices or a camp stove.  The whole device can easily be set up and collapsed for easy transport and includes PV mats that can be plugged into the device for extra power.

via Phyorg

Stanford students design recyclable laptop that disassembles in just 2 minutes
by: Ecofriend, 2010-10-30 11:01:44 UTC

Eco Factor: Recyclable Bloom laptop developed using Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Inventor Publisher software.

A pioneering prototype of the recyclable Bloom laptop developed by Stanford students allowed them to become the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for October. The class of Stanford University graduate students along with students from Finland’s Aalto University was asked to develop a recyclable consumer electronics product that makes electronics recycling a simpler, more effective and engaging process for consumers. The refined and readily accessible laptop design is a result of 3D digital prototypes of the laptop’s hardware components, Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Inventor Publisher software.

Unlike other laptops available today that take about 45 minutes to disassemble, the Bloom laptop can be disassembled in just 10 steps within two minutes, without using any tools. It modular design makes it easy for consumers to decrease the amount of electronic waste added to landfills. Since it is easy to disassemble, the laptop can easily be repaired or upgraded, building a long-term relationship with the user.

Via:Dexigner

Supersonic Stick on the Wrist for Blind People
by: Yanko Design, 2010-10-29 07:11:28 UTC

It is very rare that I use the title of the project as the title of the post, but this one is just too magically perfect not to do that. This project goes by the incredibly long name “Supersonic Stick on the Wrist for Blind People” and it rocks. It uses “supersonic signals” aka sonar to both send out signals and receive them when they bounce back, giving then warning to the user of oncoming danger through sounds and vibrations.

The beauty in this project lies in the simplicity. Think first of being able to see everything around you. Then think about not being able to see anything. Then think about how wonderful it would be to have an object so simple it can fit in your hand give you another sense to replace the one you lost. Not quite as good as eyes, but it’s certainly something.

Designer: Minhye Kim

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Amazing Lamp Entirely Made Of Dry Grape-Twigs
by: TreeHugger Design, 2010-10-28 14:30:14 UTC
Photos via A-Seis.com. Talk about a good use of food leftovers: Mexican artist Diego Perez designed the Proyector lamp using dry grape-twigs he gathered with the help of friends and local juice stands, as A-Seis explains. Who knew those could make such a cool material? A closer look and another project inside.... Read the full story on TreeHugger

LEED Material Credit Goes After Phthalates, Flame Retardants
by: TreeHugger Design, 2010-10-28 19:53:24 UTC
credit: Lloyd Alter I wonder what they will be saying in the Vinyl For Life booth next month at Greenbuild in Chicago; last year they were there in force, explaining how benign it was. But now the USGBC, which runs LEED (and Greenbuild) has listed phthalates, a key ingredient in the making of most vinyl used it buildings, in a pilot credit for Chemical Avoidance In Building Materials This means that getting vinyl out of buildings may contribute ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

French Artist Turns 'Garbage With Talent' Into Beautiful Lighting (Photos)
by: TreeHugger Design, 2010-10-29 15:58:04 UTC
Photos: Gilles Eichenbaum Those old rusty colanders, kettles, pots and pans of yours have hidden talents. That's according to Parisian craftsman, artist and bricoleur extraordinaire Garbage, a.k.a. Gilles Eichenbaum, who refurbishes old, seemingly mismatched objects like kitchenware, scales, toasters into fantastic lamps. ... Read the full story on TreeHugger

Biomass by Ahhaproject
by: Dezeen, 2010-10-28 15:16:26 UTC

This rubbish bag by Ahhaproject of Milan and Seoul spells out how much energy the user can generate with each bag of kitchen waste collected. (more…)

Biodegradable Styrofoam Made From Milk and Clay
by: Eco Geek Latest, 2010-10-27 18:39:22 UTC

Scientists at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have created a Styrofoam substitute made mostly from milk proteins and clay.  Not only is it lightweight and made from readily-available materials, but unlike its inspiration, it's biodegradable.

The discovery of this new material was actually an accident.  When a student freeze-dried clay, the result was something the scientists wanted to work with.  The team started mixing in different materials and when the milk protein casein was used, a fluffy, foam-like material was produced.

The final recipe is pretty darn simple:  clay, water, casein powder and a tiny bit of a glycerol-based material all mixed in a kitchen blender.  The dirt smoothie is then put into molds and freeze-dried and there you go:  biodegradable packaging foam.

The material has all the same properties as Styrofoam, keeping its integrity up to 392 degrees Fahrenheit.  Where it differs is of course in its ability to break down.  In tests conducted by the USDA, a third of the material broke down in 45 days.

The discovery has led to a new company called Aeroclay, Inc.  The company will start experimenting with more alternatives to plastic materials that are milk based instead of oil based.  One large hurdle facing them -- make sure the end result doesn't smell like spoiled milk.

via Discovery News

 

One Toilet Paper Company Decides to Ditch the Tube
by: TreeHugger Design, 2010-10-27 20:34:41 UTC
In an attempt to cut down on back on consumer waste, one toilet paper manufacturer has unveiled perhaps the biggest change the product has undergone in over a century -- replacing that old cardboard tube with, well, nothing. If the advancement in TP technology seems unremarkable, consider just how much waste it will keep from the landfill. Each year, a million miles worth of cardboard tubing... Read the full story on TreeHugger