Need to Know
07 : 09 : 20

US – Dezeen and Samsung are tackling cardboard waste in the Out of the Box design competition.

The contest challenges designers to repurpose Samsung packaging into furniture and household items. Recognising the importance of avoiding wasteful packaging, particularly as consumers continue to order products online, Samsung hopes to introduce a more circular approach to its business.

The top five designs include a rocking horse, a series of animal companions and storage solutions. Speaking on their animal creations for children, competition entrants Sarah Willemart and Matthieu Muller say: ‘The animals are made of four to five pieces only and use the existing folds of Samsung packaging... The polar bear, black rhino and sea turtle can be used as riding stools, drawing tables and secret hideouts.’

Taking an environmentally friendly and playful approach to Re-usable Packaging, these design solutions posit long-term uses for throwaway items.

New York – Hardware store brand Lowe’s will be featuring home products in collections shown at New York Fashion Week.

In an unlikely pairing, the brand is partnering with Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Siriano to feature hardware products in their shows. Items hand-picked by each designer will serve as the backdrop to their shows, all shoppable from Lowes.com and streamable on Lowe's Twitter page.

As people’s spending habits continue to reflect the realities of a new, home-centric normal, fashion shoppers are displaying different priorities. ‘The relevance of fashion has shifted with the zeitgeist,’ explains Marisa Thalberg, chief brand and marketing officer at Lowe’s. ‘People are very focused on their homes and how homes really are the new epicentre of fashion and self-expression.’

Inspired by both fashion and object design, industrial designers are expanding their specialisms to create Industrial Garments that merge the worlds of fashion and hardware.

Research from Barclaycard Payments has shown that British shoppers are embracing subscription services amid Covid-19.

The study revealed that almost two thirds (65%) of UK homes are signed up to regular subscription services, with an average of seven contracts per household. Individually, Britons have been found to spend an average of £552 ($722, €609) per year on sign-up services, with popularity for subscriptions having grown during lockdown.

Owing to the prolonged period of the pandemic, consumers have grown accustomed to the convenience of such services. Kirsty Morris, managing director for account development at Barclaycard Payments, says: ‘While lockdown certainly provided a catalyst for the growth in subscriptions, our data shows the popularity of direct-to-door and at-home products and services is only set to continue.’

With consumers still feeling wary about returning to pre-Covid shopping habits, people are embracing the ease of Subconscious Commerce.