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Pentagram visualises the air-polluting impact of plastic

Plastic Air by Pentagram in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, Giorgia Lupi, Talia Cotton and Phil Cox

UK – Using an interactive data visualisation, the design studio draws attention to the microplastics that invisibly pollute our air.

The visualisation, PlasticAir, invites users to interact with free-floating particles that represent microplastics, adjusting various environmental elements such as rain, snow and urban or remote locations. Clicking on each particle allows users to view the chemical composition of the plastics, as well as household items they may originate from.

Designed in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the platform also provides educational and actionable ways of reducing and monitoring plastic consumption. By providing this visual platform, people can better understand the impact of non-visible pollutants. Pentagram comments: ‘The experience offers a speculative window onto a data-driven approximation of the plastic particles that exist all around us, but remain hidden to the naked eye.’

From shrinking typefaces to offset apparel, we recently explored the range of ways in which designers are responding to the climate crisis.

A vitamin brand harnessing the power of astrology

Cosmos Vita, US

US – Cosmos Vita is a new multivitamin brand fostering a community around holistic healthcare and astrology.

Launching with three vegan and gluten-free multivitamins, Cosmos Vita centres on the idea of creating balance for the mind, body and spirit. Each multivitamin includes active ingredients such as elderberry, zinc and apple cider vinegar to boost overall health and immunity. Created in gummy formulations, the vitamins provide an accessible way for people to build supplements into their daily routines.

Alongside the vitamin range, Cosmos Vita is also building an astrology-focused community, providing education around the health impact of events like new moons. To bolster this element of the brand, Cosmos Vita is partnering with an astrologer and spiritual adviser to write monthly horoscopes.

As Alternative Spirituality gains momentum among Generation Z, wellness brands have an opportunity to create products and services that align spiritual beliefs with healthcare.

Degree makes deodorant disability-friendly

US – The inclusive deodorant uses packaging design to enable greater accessibility for people with disabilities.

The deodorant, Degree Inclusive, has been launched by Degree, also known as Sure. Developed by a team of occupational therapists, engineers, consultants and people with disabilities, the product features a number of accessible design and packaging elements. Its hooked design allows for one-handed usage, while magnetic closures make it easier for users with limited grip or vision to remove or replace the cap. A braille label featuring usage instructions supports those with visual impairments, while a large roll-on applicator allows users to reach more surface area.

‘More than 60m people in the US live with a disability, yet products and experiences are still not designed with this community in mind,’ says Kathryn Swallow, global brand vice-president at Degree. ‘With Degree Inclusive we hope to inspire bold action across the industry to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal playing field.’

Building on the innovations we explored in the Adaptive Beauty sector, brands are now catering for the needs of disabled people within the larger personal care industry.

Degree Inclusive

Stat: German shoppers spend more on eco-friendly groceries

Shaping by Eyla Llarena Aliaño proposes a different lifestyle where environmental care in consumption is a priority

According to a global study by YouGov, many grocery shoppers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products.

This is especially the case in Germany, where three in five (60%) shoppers express a willingness to spend more on products that are better for the environment. Similarly, more than half of grocery shoppers across other key regions expressed the same mindset – this includes the US (58%), the UK (57%) and Australia (53%).

Meanwhile, in Japan, grocery shoppers remain largely on the fence when it comes to paying a premium for sustainability. Some 42% of Japanese consumers neither agreed nor disagreed with the statement: ‘I don't mind paying more for products that are good for the environment.’ With this in mind, brands must consider the price barriers when it comes to encouraging consumers to buy eco-friendly products.