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 ProductSphere: The New Simplicity “These days, green design is about modesty, restraint, and community." It used to be that sustainable-product design was mostly about materials. (“It’s made of corn!” “It’s recyclable!”) Now the discussion is maturing. Many designers are placing a high value on simplicity and restraint, as seen in Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morrison’s Super Normal exhibition, which has been touring for the past few years. The everyday objects included there – from a paper clip to a plastic bucket – are so well conceived that they could hardly be improved upon It’s the same instinct that drives the appreciation for certain timeless design classics, and for handcrafted furniture made of solid wood. What could be more sustainable than a product that will last an entire lifetime? Others are looking to more socially responsible business practices. Patagonia provides consumers with detailed information about its garments’ life cycles. For the past two decades the Tufenkian company, which specializes in handmade carpets from Tibet and Armenia, has supplied its employees and their families with food, clean water, housing, clinics, and schools. Here’s a selection of recent and classic products that reflect these new directions in green design. –Paul Makovsky 
Hemp Natural Ethical Design “Objects design and manufactured to do no harm to people or the environment” Tufenkian Hemp Rugs As a crop, hemp adds stability to topsoil and yields about twice as much fiber per acre as cotton. These durable, naturally colored, 100 percent hemp rugs are harvested, knotted, and finished in Nepal. They’re available in a range of sizes at Tufenkian’s showrooms. |
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