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Trash is our Treasure
September 10, 2009 Design, Environmental, Trends
Quick pop quiz- What’s going to be the hot fashion and décor trend next summer? Most likely, it’s going to be trash. Ok, I don’t mean awful (although some of us might thing so), but actually and literally, trash. My grandma calls it rubbish, and it’s going to be here in a big way.
Take YakPak for example. If you’re an urban dweller, odds are you really need a good backpack. Not only that, but for the sake of your image, it needs to be cool too. Problem is, most good bags cost around $100, and the ones that only look cool aren’t very good. So, where do you go? YakPak. Last month, they started selling backpacks made of recycled vinyl from used billboards. They’re only $35, guaranteed to last forever, and all one of a kind.
Still don’t believe me? Try Justin Gignac’s art studio, NYCG, short for New York City Garbage. That’s right- Lucite cubes of trash, plucked directly from the bin during America’s biggest events including New Years Eve in Times Square, the Republican National Convention, and the last game ever at old Yankee Stadium. They’re signed, numbered, and dated, and typeset in Helvetica. The cubes retail between $50 and $100- possibly the classiest junk you’ll ever buy.
Next month, it’s going to be hot to wear an old billboard, or have someone’s used coffee cup on your mantle. You know, now that you mention it, make old things new too with our Cradle-to-Cradle products. Products that, when they’re finished being used, can be returned to the Earth without harm, or be repurposed into another chair. Either way, it’s pretty good to see reuse getting some love.
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Certify our Love
September 2, 2009 Design, Environmental
Is it just me, or is there an over abundance of green-certifications out there? It’s really confusing. There are almost two-hundred estimated standards that are in use, but one that really seems to stand out is Cradle-to-Cradle.
Started in the 1990s by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, C2C has gained some steam since about 2002, when their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things was released. It’s not necessarily the coolest name around, but the criterion to get the certification is stringent. What needs to be accomplished to be C2C certified, you may ask. We just happen to know…
- Materials – Whatever goes into making the product, if synthetic, needs to be nontoxic,
non-harmful, and must be able to be reused over and over again into the
“same level” product, without becoming lesser (ie. tires to artificial turf). If
organic, the materials should be able to be disposed of in any natural environment
and decompose into the soil. - Disposal – When a product is finished being used, a plan to either dispose of it in
a safe way or reuse the materials must be outlined. - Production – Making the product must be green, too. For the highest level of
certification, at least 50% of all energy in production needs to come from the sun. - Water – If water’s used in making the product, the discharge from the plant is
measured for safety. - Social Responsibility- The factory in which the product is made must treat its
workers with fair wages, hours, and in a humane manner.
Phew.If you’re more interested, check out McDonough and Braungart’s book, or their website. We’ve got some C2C-certified chairs, too – try Leap, Think, Amia & Move. And that’s not all, Cobi and i2i are currently going through the C2C certification review process so check back soon.
- Materials – Whatever goes into making the product, if synthetic, needs to be nontoxic,
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Packaging as an innovation?
December 16, 2008 Consumer Products, Design, Environmental, Trends
Lamp that was the gift box used to send a bottle of wine.Have you thought of packaging as a unique innovation? Well, here are three examples of companies that are treating packaging as a differentiating factor. Not only does this help reduce the products’ impact on the environment, in some cases, the products are enhanced as a result of this improvement.
- Are you a fan of Extra chewing gum? If so, maybe you’ll soon notice nifty new packaging. This concept created by Kyle Gati eliminates the need for the celephane wrapper and utilizes recycled paper and eco-friendly adhesives for the new boxes concept.
- Have you purchased a laptop lately and noticed the incredible amount of packaging needed to prevent shipping damage. Then purchased a carrying case for the same reason…to prevent damage. Think maybe these two needs could be combined? Well, so to does HP.
- And the best for last…wine with a gift box that turns into a lamp. Seriously. Cava, a Spanish champagne, from Ciclus ships in a gift box from that, with just a few steps, turns into a fully functioning, attractive lamp. I want one.
I’m sure we’ll continue to see a reduction in packaging as this environmental movement continues. Have you come across similar examples? Please share…
Our sustainability promise to you
November 24, 2008 Environmental, Steelcase News
Sustainability has been an important philosophy within Steelcase for quite a while. Ever wondered how we incorporate sustainability into our products? Read on to find out…
We believe sustainability is part of our social contract. That’s why every step of the way…through design, manufacture, delivery and product lifecycle…we consider the impact of our work on the environment and uncover opportunities to make things better.
Designing for the Environment
Our approach to sustainability is holistic. We aim to produce products that are durable and long-lived; are made from safe and sustainable materials; can be easily disassembled and recycled at the end of life; manage waste and air emissions; conserve natural resources at every phase of the lifecycle and are made in socially responsible ways.
Materials Chemistry (MC)
Three years ago we enlisted the expertise of McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) to help us better understand the chemical makeup of our products and production processes. We evaluate chemicals against 19 human and environmental health criteria and are working to eliminate them in our new and existing products.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
LCA measures a product’s impact on the environment…from material selection to the end of a product’s usefulness. We measure the impact of every new and existing product to continuously improve our performance.
Recycling & Reuse (R2)
Recycling and Reuse means choosing the right materials, as well as designing to enable the recycling of products. It also means offering a convenient way to dispose of products through the Steelcase Environmental Partnership.
Cradle to Cradle Product Certification: Your Sustainability Assurance Policy
Cradle to Cradle Product Certification is based on the most comprehensive environmental protocol that matches our sustainability philosophy. So, when you see that our products are Cradle to Cradle certified, you can be assured that we have designed them against stringent environmental standards and requirements.
We offer a growing collection of Cradle to Cradle products including:
- Leap, our flagship task chair is Silver Cradle to Cradle Certified
- Think, the FIRST EVER certified product is Silver Cradle to Cradle Certified
- Amia, our newest task chair, is Silver Cradle to Cradle Certified
- Move, stackable seating from Steelcase with Silver Cradle to Cradle Certification
- Tour Workspace, desks by Turnstone with Cradle to Cradle Certification
- Scoop Stool, cafe seating with Cradle to Cradle Certification
- Groupworks, tables and conference tables with Cradle to Cradle Certification
Frustration Free Packaging
November 14, 2008 Consumer Products, Design, Environmental, Innovation
So how many of you have ever spent more time opening a toy package than you spent in assembling the toy afterwards? Or you find yourself with the kitchen steak knife in hand, the junk drawer scissors cast aside, as you piece, puncture and wrip at that dreaded plastic clamshell package, long past the point where you care whether you damage the product inside?
That consumer frustration has lead to the introduction of numerous tools for opening packages without the frustration outlined above. There is the As See on TV Pyranna, the One Open-sezz-me Plastic Package Opener that claims it cures “wrap rage” or the abysmally rated Package Shark Pro Opener with Bonus Scissors.
Then there’s the approach taken by Amazon.com: frustration free packaging. Like a good doctor that treats the cause rather than masking the symptoms, Amazon is going to the heart of the problem. As their FAQ says:
We work directly with manufacturers to box products in Frustration-Free Packages right off the assembly lines, which reduces the overall amount of packing materials used.
That means they are also not creating waste by throwing away the original packaging and re-packaging the items. And the scope of their plan is impressive:
This is just the beginning of a multi-year initiative. It will take many years, but our vision is to offer our entire catalog of products in Frustration-Free Packaging.
While I wouldn’t qualify Steelcase and the Steelcase Store as innovative when it comes to our packaging I do hope you’ll find our packaging to be “frustration free. Some strong hands or a basic utility knife will probably do the trick on your next Leap chair purchase. Although I admit that i just might have to add the Zibra-ZPCOPEN-OR to my Christmas wish list.
