When design brands launch cheaper alternatives to viral dupes, do
Stefan Sagmeister’s ekn footwear turns global data into graphics. Can
Can IKEA Sell Second-Hand Without Selling More?
IKEA’s UK and Ireland resale marketplace makes used furniture cheaper. But does brand-run resale extend furniture life—or accelerate replacement?
Can You Outsource a Ritual Without Losing Its Meaning?
An app-controlled wood-knocking device exposes product design’s blind spot: removing effort can also remove the meaning of a ritual.
Beyond the Tailpipe: Can a Car Clean Up Its Own Tyres?
TU/ecomotive’s VENTRA captures tyre dust. But can turning pollution into cabin materials beat preventing it? Efficiency and containment decide.
A Better Throwaway Cup Is Still a Throwaway Cup
Nothing’s folding-lid cups could cut packaging waste. But home composting is a promise that depends on more than clever paper engineering.
A Repairable Lamp Needs More Than Replaceable Parts
Midgard’s repairable lighting exposes the real longevity challenge: keeping spare parts, skilled labour and technical knowledge available across generations.
When Design Research Becomes a Luxury Brand’s Voice
Formafantasma joins Santa Maria Novella. Can critical design research change luxury products, or will hidden histories become premium marketing?
A Smarter Toothbrush—or One More People Can Hold?
Smart toothbrushes win attention. Accessible grips expand independence. Which kind of product innovation deserves design’s highest acclaim?
What If the Home Robot Arrived One Body Part at a Time?
A fingertip-walking robotic hand suggests a different smart home: mobile tools, repairable parts and furniture redesigned around safety and control.
