Signals

New York – The climate and culture publication investigates how communities and designers around the world are adapting to climate change.

The first issue of Atmos, which will publish biannually, looks at current climate challenges through photography, interviews with artists such as Yoko Ono, and immersive journeys to destinations such as rural India and the island of Kiribati. Its editorial content ranges from a fashion spread featuring biosynthetic materials to profiles of female scientists leading advancements in clean meat.

Atmos' inaugural theme, Neo-Natural, refers to the merging of nature and futurism, a concept that lends itself to the magazine’s surrealist aesthetic. ‘At its core, this is an exploration of how nature, and our role in it, continues to evolve,’ explains William Defebaugh, editor-in-chief. ‘As a publication about climate and culture, what better place to start than exploring where these two forces intersect?’

The visual identity of sustainability is in flux, as creative practitioners such as Atmos approach climate change with a more vibrant, engaging and design-led aesthetic.

Amsterdam – Apparel brand senscommon has collaborated with Uchino Japan to create the range of clothing for travel.

Titled on-journey wear, the collection is designed to improve the wellbeing of the wearer as they go about their daily journeys. The garments use a textile made from activated Ubame oak charcoal powder, which has been kneaded into cotton and rayon fibres, naturally greying the material.

With self-purifying properties from the charcoal, the fabric can eliminate odour, moisture, bacteria and environmental chemicals as well as regulate body temperature. ‘Because of its qualities and porous ability to eliminate certain impurities and elements, on-journey wear is the perfect wardrobe for daily journeys long or short,’ reads the brand’s press release.

To see how the materials of tomorrow will be not just self-purifying, but programmable, self-healing and transformative, read our Material Far Futures report.

Income appears the be the biggest barrier to purchasing authentic luxury goods, according to a new study by the International Trademark Association. It found that 79% of Generation Z in countries such as Argentina, China, Russia and the US purchased counterfeit goods in the past year; however, youth populations in Japan, Nigeria and Italy were found to be most morally opposed to counterfeits.

Although the report outlines this cohort’s shared beliefs that individuality, morality and authenticity are paramount, these values could appear at odds with their purchasing of fake goods. The report attributes this contradiction to income levels, as 57% of young people say they can only afford the fake version of some brands.

With a rise in ironic, aspirational fakes, attitudes towards counterfeit goods are changing among young people, with brands turning to digital tools in order to fight back.