Author: designy things

The Tote Bag Book

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  Although some of us already have more tote bags in our possession than we will ever require, we still can’t resist collecting them. The fact is, they don’t take up much space, they don’t cost much (or are giveaways), and they are more sustainable shopping partners than plastic or paper options. Tote bags also serve as a surrogate T-shirt, and let you express your mood through whatever design you pick that day. The Tote Bag, a new book by the London-based illustrator and designer Jitesh Patel, was inspired by Patel’s blog dedicated to cutting-edge tote bag design. Featuring the work of more than 120 designers and illustrators, the book seduces its prey through its packaging — it is actually wrapped in its very own tote bag. Published by Laurence King Publishing, The Tote Bag is a 160 page paperback available for $24.95. In the U.S., you can order a copy through Chronicle Books.

Yill Mobile Energy Storage Unit

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You get to the office and manage to just avoid that chatty woman from accounting in the parking lot. Before heading to your desk, you stop by the charging station in the hall to pick up your assigned Yill and roll it to your cubicle. You sit down, plug your computer into it, and start checking your emails. A typical day in your near future? A winner of a 2011 reddot design award, Yill is a mobile energy storage unit designed by Werner Aisslinger’s Berlin-based design firm Studio Aisslinger for Younicos a developer of storage systems and network solutions for electricity supplied from regenerative energy sources. (Make sure to check out both the Studio Aisslinger and Younicos sites — the designs are fantastic). Able to power a workstation for two to three days without cords or cables, Yill stores energy in a rechargeable lithium titanium battery, which Younicos claims is better than conventional lithium ion technology because it is safe, recharges quickly, and has a long operating life. It’s a power source you can take with you outside …

Vitriini Glass Boxes

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There are jewelry boxes and then there are boxes that become the jewels. Created by glass designer Anu Penttinen, Vitriini is a new line from the Finnish design brand iittala that allows you to showcase small favorite items in your own little mantlepiece museum. In total, there are 22 variations in size and color in a choice of glass, metal, and wood components. The Vitriini boxes are currently available in the United States and prices vary depending on the size and color. The small boxes (2.4” x 2.4”) range from $45-$100, and large boxes (4.3” x 4.3”) range from $70-$165. Speaking of Finnish design, Helsinki has been announced as the World Design Capital for 2012. This award is a new initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design that is given to city that uses design from a “social, cultural, and economical perspective” to reinvent itself. Previous Design Capitals include Turin in 2008 and Seoul in 2010.

Hövding Bike Helmet

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Ah, the Swedish. During a trip to Stockholm 10 years ago, I was blown away by how incredibly important and respected design is there — the Prime Minister himself came to the opening day of the Stockholm Furniture Fair. Designed by Swedes Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin, Hövding  is an inflatable bicycle helmet that is disguised as a stylish neck wrap. Geared towards cyclists who might avoid a typical hard helmet because it’s not stylish enough (silly, but true), warm enough (understandable in places like Sweden), or who fancy themselves immortal (vampires?), the Hövding collar is covered by a removable shell containing a folded up airbag that deploys when you have an accident. The ultra-strong nylon airbag, shaped like a sexy cyber-hood, has a trigger mechanism that is controlled by sensors – accelerometers and gyros —  that pick up abnormal movements of a bicyclist in an accident. The rechargeable airbag provides soft and effective shock absorption and maintains constant pressure for several seconds, making it able to withstand several impacts to the head in the …

Adlens Universal Eyeglasses

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When people can’t see clearly, it is more challenging for them to work, study, or drive; their entire quality of life suffers. I know how disconnected I feel when I have misplaced my eyeglasses even for a few hours; I can’t imagine what it would be like to not be able to afford those glasses in the first place. Adlens adjustable glasses respond to the need in developing countries for affordable eyeglasses by allowing users to adjust their lenses for near and far distance vision correcting. A finalist for the 2011 INDEX: Award to be announced in September, Adlens Universal glasses contain fluid-filled lenses (protected by durable, easy to clean polycarbonate cover) that change focus depending on the amount of fluid inside the lens. Designed by Rob Stevens and the U.K.-based Adlens Design Team, these low-cost eyeglasses can be fitted by health workers in a matter of minutes and correct up to 85% of refractive errors, the number one cause of poor vision globally. Affordable, practical, and stylish to boot in a choice of five colors, these glasses are truly …

Nogg Chicken Coop

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Handcrafted in the U.K., nogg is intended to appeal to domestic farmers who can afford to keep their chickens in something more stylish than a wooden box. When I first saw this egg-shaped chicken coop, I had a serious discussion with my husband about the feasibility of raising chickens in our New Jersey backyard — but we decided we couldn’t tolerate moving them into our basement for the winter. What’s great about the nogg though, is that you can almost justify getting it just for its sculptural form alone; the chickens can come later. Built to house two to four chickens, nogg is handcrafted in batches of 20 from sustainably sourced cedar. A collaboration between furniture designer Matthew Hayward and creative director Nadia Turan, this chicken casa is fox-proof, offers easy access to the removable base tray inside, and sports a glass roof that twists and lifts for easy ventilation. At nearly 2000 british pounds including VAT (over $3000), nogg is certainly a luxury (and one that animals are going to poop on after all), but think about it …