Nurturing sustainable design and production processes could unlock global growth for South Africa’s fashion sector, as the industry looks to revive local textile and manufacturing capabilities that prioritise both social and environmental wellbeing. This is the view of sustainability consultants Sarah Botha and Laura Llonch, who in collaboration with STADIO School of … [Read more...]
Futurist returns to Design Indaba with green message
As part of the Design Indaba Festival 2020, Paris-based futurist Li Edelkoort will host inspiring new trend seminars in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Edelkoort’s ever-popular three-hour presentations form part of the official programme for the event’s 25th anniversary celebration. Her upcoming talks will take place in two parts. For the first part of the seminar, the … [Read more...]
Eliminating marine pollution with innovative design
Finalists in the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP) STOMP Awards have been announced. The STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards made a call out in October for South Africans to enter ideas and solutions that could reduce, or eliminate plastic pollution, which ultimately ends up in the ocean destroying habitats, and endangering marine species. Over 60 entries … [Read more...]
The road to ending plastic waste in SA
The South African Initiative to End Plastic Waste has already made important progress in its efforts to find workable solutions that will prevent plastic from polluting the environment. According to Plastics SA executive director Anton Hanekom, this initiative was formed earlier this year and enjoys the support and active participation of the entire packaging value chain – … [Read more...]
New industry guidelines for recyclable plastic packaging released
Smart, sustainably sourced and recyclable packaging design – which keeps plastic out of the environment – is becoming essential to a business’s bottom line. The growing impact of the green economy on company profits has forced brands both big and small to radically transform their environmental strategies, including how their products are designed, made and packaged for … [Read more...]
Affordable housing designed with the environment in mind
A Western Cape design project that encourages innovation and affordable solutions in low-income housing is in the running for a prestigious US$85,000 award. Known as the Better Living Challenge (BLC), the project is in the finals for the Human City Design Award, organised by the Seoul Design Foundation. The winner will be announced on Thursday 26 September in Seoul, South … [Read more...]
Plastics packaging: the journey to designing for the environment
Climate change and sustainable development are two of the biggest issues facing society today and are perhaps foremost in our minds. It is increasingly important for companies to reduce the environmental impacts of products and services through their entire life cycle. Those companies failing to address environmental performance in product design and development will find it … [Read more...]
Journalists set off in search of African sustainability stories
On April 9th 2016, a 3-person team of mobile journalists will begin an epic 14,000 km trans-African cycling expedition from Cape Town, South Africa to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Travelling unsupported for up to 10 months, carrying all their equipment, the team will produce documentary shorts that showcase ordinary people doing extraordinary things for their community and planet. … [Read more...]
Cape Town office block achieves SA’s first socio-economic impact certification
Karl Bremer Office Block in Bellville, Cape Town, is the first project to achieve a Socio-Economic Category (SEC) Pilot rating in Africa as part of its 5-Star Green Star SA rating, achieved at the same time, announced the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA). The office block is a project of the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works. The Socio-Economic … [Read more...]
Focus on food – the essence of life
In the Mother City you can experience a thought-provoking exhibition titled “Design & Making [the story of food]. This collaboration traces the evolution of craft and design through food - in particular, the vessels used for its preservation, storage, packaging and distribution. This collaboration sees PETCO and its members, working together with the Cape Craft & … [Read more...]
SA’s flower show contribution inspired by biomimicry
It is inspirational to see how well we are able to meet the mandate for the Chelsea Flower Show in London this May. The theme is In Harmony with Nature. The Kirstenbosch launch to showcase this year's design was exciting and the designers are to be highly commended! David Davidson and Ray Hudson have taken inspiration from our wealth of biodiversity and created a design to … [Read more...]
New form of barter faces focuses on creativity
Imagine coming into possession of a unique piece of artwork, design object, photography or furniture without paying for it, but just swapping it with something useful or unique of your own. Otherwise, imagine you can take some common objects you like or need without buying them, but just exchanging them with an artwork, picture or object created by yourself. Welcome to … [Read more...]
Smart design for recycling
Climate change and sustainable development are two of the biggest issues facing society today. It is increasingly important for companies to reduce the environmental impacts of products and services through their entire life cycle. Those companies failing to address environmental performance in product design and development will find it increasingly difficult to compete in the … [Read more...]
