Here you can see our vision about design and sustainability, with posts that describe the methodology we follow, the design criteria we consider is necessary, some interviews and articles that media dedicates to us and some projects and initiatives that we consider a reference.
The environmental impact of packaging is a well-known problem that demands urgent measures and new ways of designing, producing, and consuming. According to the European Environment Agency, the volume of packaging waste in EU Member States increased by 15% between 2013 and 2020, reaching nearly 80 million tonnes. Currently, it is estimated that around 64% of this waste is recycled, according to official data, although recycling rates vary significantly by material type.
Read MoreWe are very happy because today we launched an online store within #BCNmarket, an online sales platform for stores in Barcelona. There you can find some of the products that we have designed, and you can buy them directly through us. At the moment only to pick up in store.
These days COP26 is held in Glasgow, with a gathering of more than 120 world leaders and a total of 25,000 people expected to attend to keep up with the negotiations after the world leaders have left.
With the current national targets (NDC's) the situation would result in a 16% increase in emissions, far from the 45% cut needed. That's why the negotiations of these days are so important to remain under the 1,5ºC increase that experts point as the security limit.
In a moment when our society has received signs that changes are necessary, with the pandemic showing that we are too dependent on sectors that don’t bring added value, and scientists advising about the environmental crisis that is about to come, Europe is preparing a plan supposed to transform our economic model into a more circular and sustainable one. But how can design help to implement these changes?
Read MoreHere you can see the video of the talk-debate of our director, Àlex Jiménez, with Albert Fuster, the academic director of the Elisava design school, about circular design, where does this concept come from, what situation is it currently in and how It can help us project ourselves into the future in a more sustainable way.
Read MoreWe have been interviewed in Newspackaging, a really complete and interesting magazine about the packaging sector. We talk about circular economy, trends and of course design. Have a look at it in page 74 and let us know what you think!
Read MoreSurely it is still too early to analyze what is happening these days, we have neither the perspective nor the cool head that a few months of routine will give us. Even so, and at the risk of being wrong for not waiting a couple of months, we have some thoughts that we want to share. These thoughts completely go beyond the field of design - although they may be related to it - but they do have a direct relationship with sustainability and our model of society.
Read MoreFormaldehyde is a chemical compound widely used in building materials, paints, adhesives, furniture, fabrics, and even cosmetics. One of its most common uses – around 64% of the applications of formaldehyde according to TURI - and the one that hits closest to home for designers, is in composite or pressed woods such as particleboards, fibreboards, and plywood. Most commonly in the form of urea-formaldehyde resin, this compound is found within adhesives used to join wood laminates or particles. Formaldehyde was first introduced for this purpose in the 1950s, but its usage has been regulated since then due to the negative impact on human health.
Read MoreCOP25, the international conference about climate change organized by the United Nations, is currently being held in Madrid with the assistance of 197 countries. After the signing of the Paris agreement at COP21 four years ago, this event will involve an update of the action plan designed then: to maintain the temperature increase below 1.5 degrees, to achieve the neutral carbon footprint by 2050, greater transparency and ambition of countries in terms of the commitments they make about climate change, and to favour climate finance with a sort of Green Climate Fund among others.
Read MoreYesterday our armchair design NOEM Carl was awarded with an Honourable Mention at the Catalonia Ecodesign Award 2019!
These prizes are organised biannually by the “Department of Territory and Sustainability” and the “Catalan Waste Agency”, and recognize the products and services, whether they are in the market or they are still in development, which seek to improve their environmental impact and extend their life cycle. Products that, with a functional design, break with the idea of buying, using and throwing and, instead, bet on minimizing their impact on the environment and health.
Read MoreA really popular swedish brand presented few months ago a new set of curtains produced with a fabric that absorbs co2 thanks to a process comparable to photosynthesis. We have no idea about the exact amount of co2 that this material is capable to absorb, but it seems a great idea. Anything that contributes to improve wellbeing in our homes must be considered a step forward. We also appreciate and admire innovation and novelty, and new materials are one of the most important areas of learning, because to be aware of a new one and to apply it properly can make better any project. Many of the advances that have been made in our history have been thanks to new materials, and you only have to look at the age of bronze, the iron one, or the so-called age of silicon to realize, so well done guys!
Read MoreWhat can design do to solve the problem we presented in our previous post? A lot. Like we always say, design alone can just take small steps, we need companies (our clients) scientists and engineers (our colleagues) and specially consumers to make a real impactful change. Nevertheless, design has a strategic role which can show the way to the other actors in the scene.
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