NeoCon, Day 2: Eco Gets Entrenched

It’s hard not to worry that sustainable design is a trend, rather than an ingrained ethos. Sure, an area dedicated to green design is de rigueur at larger trade shows (NeoCon’s eco-component is called Greenlife), and there’s clear growth in the number of products sensitive to the planet and our health. But is this concern for sustainability just a phase? A marketing strategy that will be changed next spring?

Regardless, it is heartening to see how some manufacturers are embracing green design principles whole-heartedly, integrating them into their products and business approaches. Take for instance KI, whose elegant Daylight chair is created from recycled car batteries and seat belts, or Vera Za’ Arour’s high-end rugs made from hemp, a renewable, earth-friendly material. Bruce Mau’s L7 modular tiles for Shaw Contract are designed to be used for years, then re-arranged and used some more. And 3form offers a new sustainable business model with its Full Circle collection: These resin coverings are made with the help of local artisans in Africa, Columbia, and Indonesia; the company pays fair-trade pricing for them; and the natural materials utilized in the pieces are easily regenerated.

To read more about these products, as well as view others, visit Live@NeoCon 2005.