If you’re having a dinner party and you need to smoke some of your food like meats, vegetables, fish, cheese, and nuts, you probably will have to do it outdoors. But if you don’t have space to do actual smoking and you just have your table as your space, then that can be a problem (or you might have to just change your menu). There are options out there for table smokers but not all of them are convenient or emit minimal smoke or worse, they can make your food a bit charred.

Designer: Guillaume Bloget

The Cloche table smoker may be the solution to that particular problem. It uses aromatic plants and wood chips as your smoker so that the food you’re cold smoking will still be able to retain their original flavors but this time with a smoky note added to it. It can also serve as part of your dining table decoration as its beech and stainless steel aesthetic can add to the atmosphere of your meal. You can create a ritual out of arranging the food, lighting the fire, then putting it out and presenting the food for eating.

Using it seems pretty easy on paper. You place the ingredients on the metal part and then put the aromatic plants or pine needles on the hearth. You can use matches or a blowtorch to light your “fireplace” then close the smoker with the beech cover. The fire will be put out once you put the cover on (hopefully). After 30 minutes, you can lift the cover and then start consuming whatever it is you were cold smoking. You will still get some residual smoke but hopefully not to make anyone cough or choke.

Having a table smoker like this can help alleviate the pressure of having an actual smoking grill if you just need to cook a bit of food for your party. But of course this is assuming you’re just having a few guests over since the Cloche table smoker is a bit small. If you’re not using it, it can also just be part of your table decoration or a food container.

The post Sustainable tabletop smoker adds to your dinner aesthetic first appeared on Yanko Design.

Born from discarded seafood shells, SEAD merges tradition with innovation, offering eco-friendly pods for heirloom seeds. It’s a journey of reimagined agriculture, where waste transforms into a resource and every seed sown signifies sustainability. SEAD’s design mirrors ecological harmony and agricultural resilience, promising a greener future. Join the movement where innovation blossoms and sustainability flourishes, one seed, one pod at a time.

Designer: Mara Zimmerman

SEAD represents more than just packaging; it embodies a sustainable ethos by repurposing waste material into a valuable resource. Its inception showcases the potential of replacing virgin materials with recycled alternatives, contributing to a circular economy and reducing environmental impact.

At the heart of SEAD lies the preservation of heirloom seeds, varieties passed down through generations, each carrying a rich history and cultural significance. Heirloom seeds, with their diverse traits and adaptability, play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and ensuring food security in the face of evolving environmental challenges.

The use of chitin (pronounced kai-tun) in SEAD packaging not only offers a sustainable alternative to traditional materials but also brings agricultural benefits. Chitin, and its derivatives, act as bio-stimulants, enhancing seed germination, and promoting crop growth. Its natural properties boost plant defenses against pests and diseases while improving water retention in adverse conditions.

Crafted through a meticulous three-step pressing process, SEAD packaging demonstrates the remarkable self-binding ability of chitin, eliminating the need for additional agents. Laser-engraved labeling ensures traceability without the use of inks or dyes, aligning with SEAD’s commitment to sustainability.

Inspired by nature’s design, SEAD packaging mimics the structure of fruits and vegetables, providing a functional and aesthetically pleasing solution. The innovative design features creases that allow for easy tearing, enabling users to plant seeds conveniently while keeping the rest of the packaging intact.

SEAD offers a holistic approach to sustainable agriculture, combining ecological principles with practical innovation. By seamlessly integrating packaging with planting, SEAD promotes zero-waste practices and fosters a deeper connection between consumers and the environment.

Just in four simple steps: Break pods along perforated lines, gently crush for better seed exposure, plant enriched seeds, and store remaining bars conveniently. These actions seamlessly integrate eco-friendly practices into gardening routines, fostering a deeper connection with the environment. Each step contributes to a greener future, promoting sustainability and preserving heirloom seeds. With SEAD, every seed sown signifies a commitment to ecological harmony and agricultural resilience, paving the way for a more sustainable tomorrow.

SEAD’s innovative seed packaging, crafted from discarded seafood shells, faces cultural barriers in regions like India and Mexico, where pure vegetarianism is prevalent. Mixing seafood with vegetables may encounter resistance due to dietary preferences. Convincing individuals adhering to strict vegetarian or vegan diets of SEAD’s ecological benefits requires careful communication. Despite these challenges, SEAD offers a sustainable option for open-minded consumers committed to environmental conservation. It’s crucial to acknowledge cultural sensitivities and cater to diverse preferences.

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At Milan Design Week 2024, Samsung Electronics unveiled its “Newfound Equilibrium” exhibition. This impressive showcase is all about Samsung’s forward-thinking design philosophy, which they call “Samsung Design Identity 5.0: Essential∙Innovative∙Harmonious.” It focuses on drawing inspiration from people and shaping the future. Samsung has over 1,500 designers spread across seven global studios, all working to keep their design language fresh and relevant for their customers.

Designer: Samsung

The exhibition is in the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, specifically in Le Cavallerizze. This place is a mix of 16th-century architecture and modern design, showing off Samsung’s knack for blending old and new.

First up in the exhibition is the “Essential” area. This is all about getting back to basics and focusing on what really matters. It’s shown in the sleek design of the Galaxy S24 series and some really practical home appliances like the all-in-one washer and dryer. There are also some awesome minimalist installations with translucent cubes and playful lighting that really get the point across.

Next, we move to the “Innovative” section. Here, Samsung shows off its drive to make everyday life better with functional advancements. There are interactive displays that change based on how close you are to them, just like Samsung’s smart TVs and vacuum cleaners that adapt to your needs. This part really shouts about Samsung’s ambition to push tech boundaries.

Then there’s the “Harmonious” section. This is all about how tech can blend into daily life, like the SmartThings ecosystem and the Music Frame that enhance your home without taking over. There are interactive LED displays that mimic natural events, inviting visitors to imagine a world where tech fits in naturally with human and environmental needs.

The exhibition wraps up with the “Infinite Dream” and “New Dawning” spaces, which celebrate the blend of modern tech with traditional craftsmanship, through collabs with artisans like MUTINA and ALPI.

In a nutshell, the ‘Newfound Equilibrium’ exhibition at Milan Design Week 2024 shows off Samsung’s big ideas about the future of tech and design. It’s about tech and design, living together, and making life better for people all over the world. Samsung’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful and progressive design is clear, and it’s really exciting to see what they’re doing to make tech a force for good in our lives.

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Chairs can come in all shapes and sizes. Some can take on complicated and organic forms, while others can be extremely minimalist or even brutally raw. They can range from designs that take inspiration from nature to those that adhere to simpler geometric shapes. The Euclid concept is one of the latter, aptly named after the ancient Greek mathematician. But while it draws its shape from a simple cube, its execution sparks a bit of wonder and curiosity as it resembles more the skeleton or wireframe of the shape, represented by almost unbroken lines that are reminiscent of Escher’s famed optical illusion, the impossible cube.

Designer: Sonakshi Gupta

Admittedly, it’s a bit difficult to see the Euclid chair as a cube, since most of us have this idea of a cube as having 12 lines that are all connected at eight corners to form six faces. Then again, that popular Escher object already shows an impossible depiction of that shape, and those familiar with that print might see some of that characteristic in this chair when viewed from certain angles. Overall, it creates a dynamic form that has your eyes following the lines and moving all over the place, sometimes confused about where the front and back sides are.

Its unique form isn’t the only notable thing about this concept, however. Its use of reclaimed wood gives it more than a sustainable character. That material, in a way, carries some history from what it was before becoming a part of this chair. Even if that past is unknown to the new owner, simply knowing it has one could give each Euclid chair its own unique charm.

And then there’s the method used to bring all the pieces together. Instead of requiring screws or even glue, a mortise and tenon joinery is used to provide stability without introducing complicated mechanisms. In theory, this could make it easy to later take the chair apart if some pieces need to be replaced, though that could also start to weaken the connection over time if done too frequently.

The Euclid concept chair offers a design that is minimalist, sustainable, and visually interesting. Whereas a cube is pretty much the epitome of symmetry, the missing edges and disconnected faces give the chair a bit more volatility. That said, it doesn’t seem like the most comfortable chair to sit on. Even if you put a cushion on the seat, the hard edges of the armrest and especially the backrest could give your body some grief after a long period of time.

The post Geometric chair concept almost looks like an Escherian optical illusion first appeared on Yanko Design.

One of the advantages of people who can work remotely (digital marketers, writers, virtual assistants, etc) is that they can work from literally anywhere. As long as there’s internet and a power source for when their devices run out of juice eventually, these digital nomads have the freedom to set up shop wherever they are and to live in things like mobile homes. We’re seeing a lot of products and concepts targeting this segment and I for one am very interested to see these come to life.

Designer: Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC)

The Mobile Catalyst, nicknamed MOCA, was developed by masteral students from IAAC. Not only is it a perfect space for those that want to work while staying anywhere with a view but it is also an experiment into sustainable and self-sufficient habitat with a digital twist. It is basically a 5.4 meter long, 2.4 meter wide, and 3.6 meter high minimalist space that gives you the basic necessities of living. Its interior is made from dowel-laminated timber produced at the IAAC itself but sustainably harvested of course.

The front part of this mobile home has the basic amenities you would need to live in it like a kitchen, toilet and shower, and electric and water systems. In the middle and the back part is the space that can be turned into an office, a meeting area, a library, a recreation room, or even a space for small events. If you need privacy or partitions and also protection from different weather conditions, there are glass doors and a water-resistant cotton fabric that slides or folds with a pulley. There are also two beds on its “mezzanine” floor and you can reach it through a movable ladder.

And of course since MOCA is designed to be sustainable, you have three light-flexible mono-crystalline solar panels on the roof and LED strips as an interior lining. The house can run on its own for around 24 hours before it needs recharging. Water is also self-sufficient as the system stores, filters, and returns the shower water into reusable water. The entire mobile home is built with digital nomads in mind so they can live, work, and play anywhere they want, as long as the trailer can move and fit in that area.

The post Digital nomads can live and work in self-sufficient mobile home first appeared on Yanko Design.

Notice that cool abstract design on the chair? It’s not just some fabric, it’s real plants! 3 design students from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden changed the narrative of chairs for humans. Why do chairs always have to be used for us to come sit on them? We’re all taught that plants are living beings right? What if these living things could practically bring furniture to life? This chair is a unique piece of furniture that prioritizes plant life over human occupants by allowing them to grow on it.

Designers: Alice Hultqvist, Emelie Sjöberg and Linnea Nilsson

The Chia-Chair is different from regular chairs. Instead of cushions or upholstery, the chair has a seat and backrest that are composed of a knitted, knotted tube that doubles as a planting bed for chia seeds. The idea is to let the plants be the main users of the chair, and humans are just visitors. The designers emphasize that humans should approach it with respect, recognizing that it’s a living thing.

Hultqvist, Sjöberg, and Nilsson, all students in the MA Design program at HDK-Valand, the University of Gothenburg’s art and design academy, showcased their creations at the Making Transparency exhibition. This event, hosted in the student-focused Greenhouse section of the Stockholm Furniture Fair, explored posthumanist design principles.

The inspiration behind the Chia-Chair arose from the designers’ contemplation of humanity’s negative impact on the planet. They acknowledged that throughout the last century, humans have prioritized their needs at the expense of nature and wildlife, leading to severe consequences. The Chia-Chair, therefore, serves as a symbolic gesture, aiming to redress the balance by placing the plant at the forefront and demanding reciprocity from its human users.

Constructed with an ash wood frame and a wool sock filled with polyester stuffing as the cushion, the Chia-Chair offers a distinctive aesthetic. The chia seeds, mixed with water, were planted in the knitted structure, and the designers diligently watered them twice daily. To maintain optimal growing conditions, a plastic cover was placed over the chair overnight to retain moisture.

While the Chia-Chair may be more of a statement piece than a functional item, the designers foresee a future where greenery becomes integral to our living spaces. In an era of increasing urbanization that disconnects people from nature, incorporating natural elements into furniture and homes is seen as a natural progression.

The Chia-Chair serves as a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between humans and nature. By prioritizing plant life over human comfort, the designers challenge us to reconsider our impact on the environment and encourage a more harmonious coexistence with the natural world.

The post This Chair Allows Plants to Grow On it And Puts Nature Before Human Needs first appeared on Yanko Design.

Our unhealthy practices and way of living are truly harmful to the environment and have been slowly leading to its deterioration. And the world has been changing (for the worse) because of this. Hence, it is extremely important to live sustainably and consciously and to take care of the environment in 2024! Integrating sustainability into our day-to-day lives has become crucial. And we can do this in various ways. Designers and creators are coming up with sustainable alternatives for almost everything. Every product that is necessary and utilized by us in our everyday routine has an eco-friendly alternative to it. Replacing our usual mass-produced designs with these greener options will make a huge difference to the environment and Mother Earth. From a Saturn-inspired sustainable lamp to a bicycle seat made from cork– we’ve curated a whole collection of sustainable product designs to help you go green.

1. Briiv Pro

Dubbed the Briiv Pro, this eco-friendly purifier uses nature and technology to cleanse the indoor air in your home. The new Briiv Pro is more powerful than ever and is a ‘mini forest’ that purifies a 16 sq.m. room in about 21 minutes. This is supposed to be 6900% more effective than house plants!

Why is it noteworthy?

The fact that the Briiv Pro is 6900% more effective than house plants is truly amazing for a purifier of this size. Besides being super functional, it also looks gorgeous, unlike the ugly appliances that get passed off as air purifiers these days.

What we like

• Utilizes a layered trifecta of moss, coconut fiber, and a silk nanofiber matrix with activated carbon
• Works a whisper-soft noise level
• Equipped with an AI-based sensor

What we dislike

2. Kreis Cup

Meet the Kreis Cup – a sustainable and durable coffee cup designed to enhance and improve your coffee-drinking experience. The Kreis Cup is available in a cup and travel-mug style!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Kreis Cup is heat resistant and designed to keep your coffee hot longer. It is ultimately biodegradable, and a better alternative than the plastic-based to-go mugs, and breakable ceramic mugs.

What we like

• Made from spent coffee grounds
• You can smell the faint unmistakable scent of coffee from it!

What we dislike

• There is currently no scope for personalization, which can be inconvenient for users

3. FR-1 Bike Saddle

Dubbed the FR-1 Bike Saddle, this innovative bike saddle is made from reconstituted cork and grade 5 titanium. The designers did away with the usual three plastic layers of the bike saddle and replaced it with a single piece of cork.

Why is it noteworthy?

This cork has all the properties of those plastic layers – structural rigidity, weather resistance, and foam comfort. They will also introduce various variants with different grades of cork.

What we like

• Has the structural perks of plastic, but the sustainability benefits of FR-1 Bike Saddle

What we dislike

• You need 2 weeks for the cork to soften and break down

4. PLANETCARE 2.0

The PLANETCARE 2.0 is a microfiber filter attachment for your washing machine. 35% of the ocean’s microplastic problem comes from the washing machine since it is mostly a blend of synthetic fibers that mix with the water, and end up in the ocean.

Why is it noteworthy?

The PLANETCARE 2.0 is a handy and practical filter that can be snapped onto the side of your washing machine. It filters all the water the machine drains out after a cycle! It is the water equivalent of you sorting out your trash.

What we like

• Can be niftily attached to your washing machine
• It catches all the microplastics from the machine’s drain water

What we dislike

• You may need to change/adjust the position of the filter to ensure adequate water pressure

5. Dissolving Bottle Shampoo

The Dissolving Bottle shampoo bars are not just practical solutions, but also symbols of commitment to a future that is sustainable and plastic-free. As users lather up and wet the Dissolving Bottle, it slowly diminishes in size until it finally disappears!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Dissolving Bottle is an innovative and unique solution that completely eradicates the need for traditional toiletry containers, providing us with a convenient and eco-friendly solution for daily hygiene routines.

What we like

• Has the familiar shape of a typical shampoo container, making the transition an easy one

What we dislike

• Requires careful handling, as exposure to water could result in premature dissolution

6. Packioli

A Turkish designer was able to come up with soap packaging called Packioli that is both hygienic and non-plastic and therefore more eco-friendly. One thing missing from most similar products is convenience and she was able to add it to this as well.

Why is it noteworthy?

She used artichoke leaves and combined them with peapod bioplastics to create packaging that commercial soap brands can use if they want to be more eco-conscious in creating their products.

What we like

• It not only solves getting rid of plastic for soaps but also helps get rid of artichoke waste, which is around 80% of the actual vegetable

What we dislike

• The look of the packaging is not similar to what we’re used to, with the labels and other colorful decorations, so may not be preferred by everyone

7. Memory Capsule

Named the Memory Capsule, this unique concept for a design challenge with Samsung looks like a regular USB flash drive on the surface but is in fact made from eco-friendly materials from old electronic devices.

Why is it noteworthy?

The packaging of this USB flash drive is made using recycled pulp, while the entire body of the flash drive is made using metals and plastics recycled from actual smartphones. The cap of the thumb drive is made using recycled polycarbonate which comes from discarded fishing nets.

What we like

• Let’s you get rid of your old devices in an upcyclable way, while also retaining precious memories from your old device

What we dislike

• We’re unsure if the data will be saved in the kiosk

8. Earth Rated Products

Canadian dog brand Earth Rated has collaborated with design agency Layer to embark on a journey of rebranding, they’ve created a simple and clean rebranding that focuses on recycling and natural products and have introduced an interesting range of sustainable dog toys.

Why is it noteworthy?

The dog toys feature joyful geometric forms and textured surfaces that invite interaction, building an intuitive user experience for both pets and owners. The toys are made using recycled and recyclable materials, compostable and post-consumer recycled plastics, and natural rubber.

What we like

• Eco-friendly and fun products for your doggo, providing an intuitive experience for you as well

What we dislike

9. Oakwood MagSafe Collection

The Oakwood MagSafe collection utilizes the Apple MagSafe chargers to provide actual charging function and good-looking aesthetics as well. What they offer, instead, are solid and multi-functional bases that not only keep your iPhone or Apple Watch in place but also add some life to your desk.

Why is it noteworthy?

With a mix of wood and matte aluminum materials, these stands and mounts look handsome on any motif you might have going for your desk, providing eye-catching ornaments without being distracting.

What we like

• The MagSafe charger they hold can be removed and used as normal
• Prevents more e-waste in the long run

What we dislike

• None of the accessories come with an Apple MagSafe charger

10. Saturno Lamp

This unique spherical lamp is heavily inspired by the planet Saturn and its beautiful rings. It borrows ideas from the planet’s morphology to build something fun, unique, and sustainable.

Why is it noteworthy?

The SATURNO lamp is actually made of three disc-shaped parts that connect without the use of any glue or screws. There are cutouts instead that allow the parts to be inserted into each other at perpendicular angles. Two are made from walnut wood, while the third is made from resin, which could be any sustainable kind.

What we like

• The LEDs can be controlled to showcase different colors and intensities
• A versatile lighting fixture that gives a glimpse of the heavens right inside your home

What we dislike

• The lamp won’t stand with its horizontal light mimicking the light scattered by Saturn’s rings unless it is provided with some support

The post 10 Best Eco-Friendly Designs To Master A Conscious + Clean Lifestyle In 2024 first appeared on Yanko Design.

They say money makes the world go round, but coffee is probably just as critical for some people. Connoisseurs will undoubtedly tell anyone willing to listen to brew their own cup, but not everyone has the luxury of doing that daily. If you don’t know of a local shop you can call your home away from home, you’d probably be at the mercy of the big, expensive chains that put more sugar than you’re going to be comfortable with. Establishing a fixed store in a nook or building isn’t going to be cheap for some businesses, and it also means not being able to reach customers where they are. Coffee trucks can solve the problem of portability, but this concept design takes that idea even further by having the whole operation run on solar power, potentially bringing that coffee experience anywhere, even away from the grid.

Designer: Kyrolos Maged

Although you can see them almost everywhere, big chain stores like Starbucks won’t always please everyone. Some simply don’t like their selection or the way they do business. Others simply prefer to patronize smaller businesses to help them grow and thrive. Either way, the majority of these stores force you to go to their location, which is not a problem unless there isn’t one nearby. It would definitely be great if the coffee could come to where the people are rather than the other way around, which is what coffee trucks are trying to do.

Although they are a viable business model, such mobile coffee dispensing stores have a few logistic issues to iron out, specifically one of power. Sure, you can run the machines on the same battery that drives the truck, but it also risks you running out of fuel when you need it the most. And with some vehicles turning to electric power, such a power source might no longer be feasible. This unnamed concept thus turns toward an ever-present source, at least during the time when people are most likely to chug their black or brown fuel.

The solar-powered coffee truck is exactly as it sounds, an operation that runs on solar energy rather than fuel or car batteries. There’s a single large solar panel on top of the truck, but it’s easy enough to extend the design to have multiple panels on the “wings” that fold out from the sides of the truck. This way, the energy needs of the coffee machines and the truck itself are kept separate and you don’t have to worry about one eating into the reserves of the other.

The design of the truck itself is pretty standard, with sliding tables to let customers put down their cups for a while or enjoy some sandwiches that the mobile cafe might offer. What’s interesting, however, is the idea that the coffee truck would offer all sorts of coffee, including those from capsule machines. It’s a good way to diversify and hit many types of customers while also ensuring the speed of service, though pure-blood coffee lovers might turn their noses up at such a thought.

The post Solar-powered coffee truck concept runs on green fuel to bring black fuel anywhere first appeared on Yanko Design.