State of the World: If everyone lived like Americans, Earth could sustain only 1.4 billion people.

State of the World: thousands of everyday products and materials such as clothing, in the United States and worldwide contain harmful radioactive metals – worldwatch.org

thrilled google chrome for mac is finally here

participating in the World In 2010, a festival on the trends, issues and ideas that will shape the future- http://ping.fm/uPoBS

participating in the World In 2010, a festival on the trends, issues and ideas that will shape the future www.worldin2010.economist.com

Design to Save, Costs More

In the New York Times article, “Nokia Tries to Undo Blunders in U.S.,” journalist, Kevin J. O’brien interviews executives at Nokia, a Finnish company and the world’s largest cell phone maker, about its decline in the United States.

Nokia’s comments are best summarized by this quote: “Among its biggest blunders, analysts and former Nokia executives say, the company failed to design many of its phones to the tastes of American consumers, instead mass producing devices for the global market to save on production costs.” That move cost Nokia almost a 30% share of the American market. On Thursday, Nokia posted a 1.36 billion loss and a global sales decline of 20%.

Evident in this story: the value of good design, and the cost of short-term thinking.

Example, Nokia was slow to develop a smart phone that could compete with the iPhone, a consistently growing sector of the cell phone market. And refused to tailor merchandise to local tastes and demands, at a penalty. The cell phone industry is extremely competitive and good design is an important element to any business success story.

Now, “Mark Louison, president of Nokia’s North American unit, says the company is laying the groundwork for long-term success.” Long-term, is a word not often uttered in corporate America. That said, having a vision of the long-term, the future that is, will be critical to any company looking to thrive.

If  only more executives  would take the time to understand the long-term picture and build for local markets, we would all benefit from an environmentally and economically sustainable world. NATALIA

Hip-tech Pop Culture

When I see performers like Kanye West and Lady Gaga sporting light up clothing and accessories I can’t help but think that this could be a glimpse into the near future of fashion.  The visceral use of the technology lends itself in performance but could there actually be a real world purpose? Yes, but not yet. A new technology called Lumalive has emerged, and like most fashion technology collaborations, Lumalive is best suited as marketing buzz. Until there are more fashion designers that understand material technology and see the big picture, we will continue to see frivolous high-tech innovations.

Lumalive is a branch off product from Phillips, and specializes in pieces of clothing with embedded LED lights that can create moving images within the textile itself. So far, they have been pushing the idea that this is an eye catching way to promote your company, product or event.  The images that are created within the garment are very generic and look like a scrolling movie theater marquee. None the less, the experience is visually stimulating, and as this technology evolves the images will become more complex.

It seems inevitable that its novelty will wear off and that Lumalive will make its way into mainstream retail. Considering how fast trends in fashion move people may just crave a light bright garment for back to school.  Now the idea of illuminating clothing becoming accessible doesn’t seem to be so Tron-esque anymore.

CABEZAS

Green Community Design

Green Community Design – Recently, I visited the exhibition Green Community at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The show was full of light, very sleek and relied heavily on the circle as a core aesthetic element. Not a personal interior design favorite, but bright, easy to read and simple to navigate. Time capsules filled with facts of note, from the last two centuries, proved engaging and creative. They reminded me of the importance of sprawling public parks, intelligent political reform, and innovative sciences, in creating healthy hospitable environments (communities). For example, “1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s plan wins the design competition for Central Park in New York City ”, reads one. Another, 1980, US President “Ronald Regan removes the White House solar panels,” says another.

Carbon Fiber Textiles

 

 

Carbon Kevlar Hybrid Cloth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carbon fibers are a woven structure of thin carbon strands used to create a strong and lightweight shell for a variety of products from cars and fishing rods to cycling clothing.

The textiles are stronger than steel but much lighter. This decreased density is why the fibers are used to lower the center of gravity in cars, and create ultra light, durable clothing.

In some cases the fibers endure a multi-step process of heat and oxidization reaching several hundreds of degrees Celsius. The last phase for some of the fibers involves using a plastic resin changing the fiber into Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic. For military use in planes and protective clothing this multi-step, energy intensive process may make sense, yet it seems excessive for everyday clothing.

According to C&F Fabric Corps., the carbon fiber biking jerseys have extra absorbency to keep athletes cooler, cleaner and drier. Overall, the ecological impact seems too great to start mass producing clothing dependent on a process involving extreme temperatures and exposure to toxins.

- GANDRUD

 History of the Bike Jersey

London Fashion Week – Gone Green

Prophetick fabric + Noir collection

Of all the fashion weeks this last month, London leads the way down the eco road.

Estethica is the area of London Fashion Week that exhibits only eco and fair trade clothing, and this year there was a lot to see and hear. The exhibit has grown from 13 to 37 exhibitors over the last three years and this year it featured a range of eco designers including Noir, Goodone, Prophetick and Eloise Grey. The designers have dedicated themselves to doing good by way of their products. Prophetick uses fabric painted by elephants, Goodone utilizes recycled cashmere for geometric knits, Eloise Grey is working to make the first certified organic tweed and Noir tries to keep sourcing within the EU.

Amid the hustle and bustle at Estethica, London Fashion week revealed a big surprise: The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled its Sustainable Clothing Action Plan.

Because clothing and textiles account for approximately 5-10 per cent of our environmental impacts (Source: European Commission (2006): Environmental Impact of Products), and consumption is likely to increase and raise the impact even more, the government and some high street retailers have taken green pledges. While no promises have been made, stores such as Marks and Spencer have taken a pledge to use more recyclable fibers and organic materials.

Bravo London!

- GANDRUD

Noir

London Fashion Week

Design Futurist – joins World Economic Forum – Young Global Leaders

NEW YORK, NY – February 25, 2009 – Natalia Allen received an honor, bestowed each year by the World Economic Forum. The Forum recognizes and acknowledges between 200 and 300 outstanding young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world.

Drawn from a pool of almost 5,000 candidates, the Young Global Leaders 2009 were chosen by a selection committee, chaired by H.M. Queen Rania Al Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, comprising 31 eminent international media leaders.

About The Forum of Young Global Leaders – Established in 2004 by Professor Klaus Schwab, The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a unique, multistakeholder community of the world’s most extraordinary young leaders who dedicate a part of their time to jointly address global challenges and who are committed to devote part of their knowledge and energy to collectively work towards a better future. Together the Young Global Leaders work to discover innovative solutions to today’s most pressing problems through various initiatives and workstreams as well as catalysing the next generation of leaders. Please visit the link for more information. Source: www.weforum.org – World Economic Forum announces Young Global Leaders 2009 - www.younggloballeaders.org

Hussein Chalayan

“I’m not a fashion person or an art person. I’m an ideas person.” That is the most succinct description Hussein Chalayan can offer to a world of outsiders looking at his creations. The British Designer of the year for 1999 and 2000 has a new exhibit at the Design Museum in London. True to form, his clothing is arguably art. Dresses made from LED screens, futuristic silhouettes, it is all very inspiring perhaps, but who will buy it and wear it? The avant garde designer makes no attempt to choose between art and fashion and that is evident in his creations.

As a Central Saint Martins senior he buried his collection of silk clothing in the earth to see how it would decay. Clearly, Chalayan is an idea person. It does not seem he is designing practical clothing for people to actually wear despite his admission that he hates it when people say they are inspired by his collections. He wants people to buy.

In his 2000 Sadler Wells show Chalayan’s models stepped into what looked like coffee tables and then pulled them up over themselves and they were garments. In his current collection the His Before Minus Now dress is programmed to change shape by a remote and is made of aircraft materials, there is a dress made of over 15,000 LED lights and one that shines lasers. Hard to believe Chalayan also works for Puma, but he seems to criss cross barriers in fashion and art effortlessly.

Seemingly excessive in ideas and unusual materials, yet fascinating, Chalayan’s last 15 years of work can be seen at the Design Museum in London until April 24^th.

- GANDRUD

Design Museum

Hussein Chalayan

 

Unisex Fashion

Numbers by Faconnable

Women and men want well-made clothing and today that might mean buying from the same collection as more and more designers release gender neutral collections.

Faconnable began in the south of France and was known for exquisite tailoring and quality materials. So naturally, it makes sense that as women expand their wardrobes to loser fitting clothing and suits that there would be a desire for quality. Eric Wright, Faconnable’s Creative Director, just launched a unisex collection called Numbers. The pieces are slim versions of classic men’s sportswear from the French company. The sizing is based loosely on women’s sizing (0-11). Since men’s fashion has been incorporating tights, skinny jeans and loose fitting tops recently it seems only natural to have a unisex collection that would be a bit loose fitting for the ladies and cater to the men’s trend of tighter fitting clothing. Wright, a Lagerfeld and Cavalli alum, explains, “They’re basics, based on menswear, but women can wear them just as easily. It’s all about how you want it to fit.”

With tighter budgets and the catwalks turning a bit towards androgynous looks, a non-gender specific collection seems like a great idea. A man can go out and buy a fitted pair of twill trousers and his girlfriend can throw them on with a tight colorful belt and white collared shirt unbuttoned a bit and suddenly it is a he/she wardrobe.

Gucci Suit Spring 2009

Gucci, Prada, YSL and Balenciaga showed clothing in Paris and Milan that was more austere and voluminous on women. Chloë Sevigny is adding a unisex collection to her Opening Ceremony line as well. Perhaps women just want to tap into the well-made, durable world of men’s tailoring and sportswear. Perhaps men are tending the other way towards tighter fitting clothing. Perhaps if a collection is well made it is attractive to everyone. Whatever the reason, fashion, not socio-politics, seems to be dominating this trend. Unlike women’s liberation from corsets in the 20’s and the power suits of the 80’s, it just seems like people appreciate versatile, well-made clothing and that desire is not gender specific or necessarily rooted in a political statement. As long as designers continue to make some gender specific clothing too to fill out their collections, I think everyone will stay happy. Just think of how many more closet sharing opportunities there will be. Faconnable’s website has a video of the collection below.

Faconnable

Vogue Online

English Retreads

English Retreads is a Boulder, CO based company born from Heather English’s own desire for a vegan handbag. Heather, a strict vegetarian, was looking for a leather alternative handbag. One day while floating down Boulder Creek on an inner tube she got an idea to refurbish vintage rubber and made herself a bag with tools from the local company McGuckin Hardware. After producing her bag and a few for friends, the company was officially founded in 2001 and operated out of her basement. Now based out of North Boulder, English Retreads continues to collect used inner tubes from local bike shops and gas stations, reusing the rubber for everything from dog collars to purses and belts. The average inner tubes have traveled an average of 60,000 miles already according to English Retreads.

Aside from a personal commitment to vegetarianism, Heather had no formal background in design or production. The company’s philosophy is to create “one-of-a-kind, hand-crafter accessories that make a high-impact fashion statement and a low impact on the environment.” Eight years later the company offers its hip, urban, waterproof products throughout  local boutiques in the U.S. and Canada. Not only is the product committed to social and ecological consciousness, English Retreads is a member of Co-op America’s Green Business Network and offsets its carbon footprint.

The bags themselves are very individual since each inner tube has different markings and as of now the product is made by hand. Recently the line has expanded to include lined bags as well and the lining is made for PET, recycled plastic bottles. Of course the bags are sturdy because of the material and also a little heavy. English Retreads is a great example of a local business born from an individual need for a smart product.

English Retreads bags are only sold in local boutiques and the average cost is between$100 and $200, with the large Beetle (pictured above) retailing at $209. – GANDRUD

 English Retreads

McGuckin Hardware

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bark Cloth

Bark cloth has been made throughout tropical and subtropical communities for ages and was a symbol of stature of the social elite. Today bark cloth is used as a sustainable, renewable material outside of these traditions. Traditionally, the inner bark of a fig or paper mulberry tree was harvested then through a two-week process of soaking and pounding the bark until it is thin, flexible and strong. Then a gum base is applied to attach pieces of the bark cloth together. Finally, after the men had gotten the bark cloth to this stage, the women painted it. Bark cloth was used for various ceremonies from mourning to weddings. The traditional Ugandan production of bark cloth is so specific it is considered a masterpiece of cultural and world heritage and is certified by UNESCO.

The final product is a strong, light, soft, textured material that withstands high humidity.Unlike Rayon and Lyocell, both made from tree pulp, bark cloth can stand high-humidity locations and the dampness does not cause shrinkage.

Aside from locals in Africa, Hawaii and other equatorial locations, there is a more modern production of bark cloth as well. The modern production is more of a weave and incorporates some Lycra or other material into the cloth and uses machinery for the pounding. The advantage of using bark cloth is that it is a natural process and the bark is renewable since it can be harvested from the same tree once a year. However, this more modern production often requires starting the material in one country and shipping it to another to be finished which counteracts some of the sustainability that is desirable about using bark cloth.

Bark cloth is used for hats, bags, as well as interior design fabrics. In the 1950’s there was quite a bit of bark cloth used for interior, and this vintage bark cloth is available widely online. While it is difficult to find any specific name brand designers using bark cloth, it seems that with the new Bark Cloth Initiative between Germany and Uganda that there will be more bark cloth on the market and hopefully it will trickle into mainstream fashion. At the moment, most examples of bark cloth are in textile museums, online purchases of vintage materials and local tropical communities.

At present modern bark cloth is also used by quilters and can be purchased from the New England Quilt Museum. Bark cloth can also be purchased by the BarkCloth Hawaiian Fabric Shop phone at: 808.422.4321. GANDRUD

 UNESCO

Making of Bark Cloth

Bark Cloth Production in Tonga

 

 

Design in a Bad Economy

Good design is often overlooked in a bad economy.

Executives start cutting back on orders, staff and other overhead to save money and meet budget demands. I would like to challenge decision makers to consider design as a tool to grow business in tough economic times.

Good design, design that is relevant, accessible, useful and compelling will make it’s way into consumers hands. This is the very definition of a must-have.

People are more discerning when money is short. Shoppers must have a reason to buy it. And that reason must be more powerful than any reasons not to buy it.

The United States is notorious for conspicuous consumption, a kind of greed and gluttony I find unhealthy. Now that credit is in short supply, many companies will need to scale back on spending, which is good. The response to this change should not end there. Companies need to consider improvements in design.

I challenge these brands to consider spending wisely on making better products, to use creative design as a means for succeeding. NATALIA

Obama + Textiles

 

According to the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), the U.S. apparel industry employs roughly one million workers right here in the United States. Often textile mill jobs are located in rural or small southeastern communities and the average weekly pay is 13% higher than retail or service jobs, paying about $509 a week on average. With such a substantial influence on the American economy it is a relief to know that the Obama Administration has plans to protect our domestic textile industry.

According to Obama’s response to a questionnaire NCTO sent in early October, the Obama Administration is going to enforce a policy of protectionism. Protectionism includes encouraging consumerism of U.S. produced textiles, monitoring imported textiles from China especially to see if the textiles meet certain environmental and labor ethic requirements, and upholding the Berry Amendment which requires all the Defense Departments textile products to be sources from within the U.S.

Anderson Warlick, Chairman of NCTO, said: “Because of China’s long history of surging into the U.S. market, a China monitoring commitment is crucial to ensuring that the U.S. government can move quickly to prevent a damaging surge which could threaten tens of thousands of U.S. textile jobs once safeguards are removed on January 1st. Extending the current monitoring program to China is the most important trade issue facing the U.S. textile industry today.”

Keeping the majority of textile sourcing local will not only keep Americans in their jobs, but also help to decrease the carbon footprint that has grown much too large from importing.

In response to such consumer demands and policies countries may have to restructure their textile industries or look to other industry for revenue. The Mauritius government adopted a “Mauritius, a Sustainable Island” policy for the betterment of the Island. The effects are already profound. The island turned to harnessing wind and solar energy and with increased regulations upon the textile industry factories are audited regularly.

The intentional green consciousness of the Obama Administration seems to have a lovely impact on not only the U.S. textile industry but the global industry as well. What beautiful policy. GANDRUD

National Council of Textile Organizations

Letter from Obama to the National Council of Textile Organizations

Bionic Yarn

Beautiful, sustainable and durable. That’s the motto for Bionic Yarn and hopefully part of the fashion industry’s New Years resolution. 

Return Textiles Corp, a two-year-old New York based company, engineers and manufactures sustainable yarn and fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. The construct is made of a polyester core wrapped in recycled plastic and then depending on what the fabric will be used for, a combination of nylon, polyester or cotton will be wrapped around the recycled plastic in two different directions creating a tension similar to a Chinese finger trap. The durable fabric is used to make backpacks, luggage, handbags, active apparel, work wear, denim, footwear, home and outdoor furnishings.

 

According to Bionic Yarn it takes eighteen 1 liter recycled water bottles to make an average piece of luggage and seven recycled plastic bottles to make a pair of jeans. With 60 million plastic bottles from consumers being put into landfills daily, there is more than enough supply to continue developing these types of sustainable fabrics.

 

Pharrell Williams the Grammy winning musician and a new investor and owner of Bionic Yarn has incorporated the new material into his own clothing lines Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream.  Pharrell was quoted as having said he was fascinated with the technology and pleased with the softness of the denim as well. With growing concern for the environment Williams will be an ambassador to the company. As Pharrell says, “Our goal is to be the go-to fabric supplier. We want to provide quality fabrics that also happen to be sustainable. We want to do everything from high end luggage to high end denim, to university caps and gowns to Parks Department uniforms. It’s a plus that the fabric brings environmentalism to a whole new level.”

Let’s hope so Pharrell, let’s hope so.

Bionic Yarn

Billionaire Boys Club & Ice Cream

Prada Link Watch

LG and Prada have partnered together to make the Prada Link watch, an accessory to the new Prada II phone. The sleek, black, leather and stainless steel watch sorts calls and text messages without having to reach into your pocket or purse. Although the partnership between LG and Prada does prove that fashion and technology are beginning to work together to make beautiful functional accessories, it seems that the first generation of the phone needs more attention. The watch operates through Bluetooth and while it conveniently tells you who is calling, you still have to find your phone to take the call. The battery life is 48 hours requiring a charge every other night. At this point in the game it seems that a little more development needs to be done before this luxury good becomes useful, perhaps voice recognition would be the next step. Also, there is the concern for adding more stuff to your life and using more materials rather than smarter stuff and greener materials. Aside from the function, the aesthetic design is fantastic – an elegant and substantial watch demanding attention. Currently there is no pricing or US release date available.

Prada Link Watch and Phone Video

GANDRUD

The New, Green Museum

The California Academy of Science in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park has long been dedicated to the study of nature, and after 8 years and half a billion dollars in sustainable renovations, Italian architect Renzo Piano’s design is a pioneer in sustainable architecture. Unlike traditional theater museums, this museum is built inside the park, well underneath it to be more specific. The 2.5 acre living roof is the signature element. After walking the grounds in silence and observing the hills from a run down building, Piano sketched a simple rolling hill with a line underneath and with only his sketchbook, Piano beat the other five competitors.

Not only has Piano’s design been compared to Frank Lloyd Wright’s spiraling Guggenheim Museum and Frank Gehry’s titanium Guggenheim in Bilbao, the new museum is expected to capture the attention of the public with its design and green focus. Hoping to receive the highest ranking from the U. S. Green Building Council, a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the living roof absorbs storm water and according to the museum will prevent 3.6 million gallons of polluted water from entering into the eco-system. The living roof is also home to wildlife and California wildflowers. It is said that the roof keeps the building 10 degrees cooler and turns carbon dioxide into oxygen.  Solar cells produce 5-10% of the museum’s energy as well. The structure is insulated by nearly 216,000 pairs of Levi’s jeans, paying homage to the native San Francisco denim company.

Underneath the living roof, the museum houses the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, Kimball Natural History Museum and includes a four story rainforest, a coral reef, a 100,000 gallon tank with Pacific coast marine life, a swamp, a habitat for penguins and exhibit on climate change and global warming.

Piano explains, “You almost never get a chance to build something in the middle of a great park, so it needed to be transparent…here you need to know about the connection with nature, so almost anywhere you are in this building you can see through to the outside.”

California Academy of Science: http://www.calacademy.org/
More on Renzo Piano: http://architect.architecture.sk/renzo-piano-architect/renzo-piano-architect.php

NANCY GANDRUD