The Story of Stuff

Monday, May 10, 2010

As industrial designers we are always thinking about the impact of the stuff we design. This little video has been around for a few years now and really makes you think. Take a look if you haven't already.



Via Story of Stuff

Great Online Material Resource

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Materia.nl is an online database of a wide range of materials. From traditional to incredibly innovative, these materials are a great source of inspiration for new projects. The materials are categorized into several groups, so searching for something you already have in mind is easy. One could spend hours browsing through what they have! Singing up for an account is free. Finally, if you want to purchase a particular material, you can do it right away as the contact information of the producer is posted.

Below are some examples of the kinds of things one can find on Materia. Left: Aluminum foam, middle: Horse hair weaving, right: Extrema - a coated fabric with a velvet surface.



Via www.materia.nl

Cool Handles by Fendley Knives

Monday, April 12, 2010

We came across this pretty interesting use of denim fabric and epoxy, used to make a great looking knife handle. The guys at Fendley Knives have been experimenting with a process originally developed in the 1950's. They go through their whole process, explaining everything along the way, including many pictures. Finally the laminated material is put through its paces through a rigorous testing phase. It's pretty tough.



If you're interested to learn more about this material, follow the link.

Via Fendley

Garden in a Bag

Thursday, April 01, 2010

For those of us who wish they could grow their own fresh herbs year round, but do not have the space (or climate) to do so. A great idea from Inhabitat Shop!



Via Inhabitat Shop