Daily Signals 07.09.2020

Signals

Design innovations re-invent cardboard waste, Amazon taps into mental health tech, and British shoppers embrace subscriptions.

Samsung’s waste initiative thinks outside the box

Out of the Box Competition by Samsung, US
Out of the Box Competition by Samsung, US
Out of the Box Competition by Samsung, US

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.

Fashion week meets the hardware store

Lowe’s n NYFW by Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Siriano, US Lowe’s n NYFW by Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Siriano, US
Lowe’s n NYFW by Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Siriano, US Lowe’s n NYFW by Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff and Christian Siriano, US

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.

Amazon’s screen-free wellness wearable

Amazon Halo by Amazon Amazon Halo by Amazon

US – The online retailer is going beyond standard fitness tracking with the Halo wearable and subscription service.

Unlike most wearable devices, Halo doesn’t have a screen, instead connecting through an app. Featuring 3D body scanning functionality and machine learning, the app can detect body fat as well as listen to emotion in the user’s voice. Able to support users beyond their fitness needs, Halo offers a more holistic approach that also comprises mental and sleep health.

‘Despite the rise in digital health services and devices over the last decade, we have not seen a corresponding improvement in population health in the US,’ explains Dr Maulik Majmudar, principal medical officer at Amazon Halo. ‘We are using Amazon’s deep expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer customers a new way to discover, adopt and maintain personalised wellness habits.’

While veering away from tech-based solutions, consumers are slowing down their quest for The Optimised Self with devices that combine mental and physical health.

Stat: British shoppers opt for subscriptions amid Covid-19

Rent the Runway drop-off service at WeWork Rent the Runway drop-off service at WeWork

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.

Previous Daily Signals Articles
Ulta Beauty opens UB Marketplace to 100 emerging brands

Daily Signals

Ulta Beauty opens UB Marketplace to 100 emerging brands

Ulta Beauty has launched UB Marketplace, a new online platform introducing more than 100 emerging beauty and wellness brands to its website and app...
Beauty : Retail : Ecommerce
Travel platform Curated Spaces is powered by trusted tastemakers

Daily Signals

Travel platform Curated Spaces is powered by trusted tastemakers

Travel start-up Curated Spaces has launched a booking platform that puts personal style, trusted recommendations and curated experiences at the hea...
Travel : Hospitality : Digital
Stat: Gen Z women are shaping a new liberal majority in the US

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Z women are shaping a new liberal majority in the US

New polling highlights a sharp political gender gap within Gen Z, positioning young women as the most liberal demographic in the US, according to a...
Youth : Politics : Gen Z
Heineken transforms Seoul’s rooftops into social sanctuaries

Daily Signals

Heineken transforms Seoul’s rooftops into social sanctuaries

Heineken is transforming Seoul’s empty rooftops into vibrant social spaces as part of a new campaign combatting urban loneliness and removing barri...
Culture : Drink : Loneliness
Feeling introduces transdermal energy patch to combat daily fatigue

Daily Signals

Feeling introduces transdermal energy patch to combat daily fatigue

Manchester-based wellness brand Feeling has launched a transdermal energy patch designed to address persistent fatigue in individuals who maintain ...
Health : Wellness : Supplements
Stat: Gift cards become inflation-era solution for festive shoppers

Daily Signals

Stat: Gift cards become inflation-era solution for festive shoppers

As inflation continues to put pressure on spending, gift cards are set to dominate this year’s festive period in the US. According to Blackhaw...
Retail : Consumer Spending : Inflation
Yōjō harnesses vagus nerve technology for everyday wellbeing

Daily Signals

Yōjō harnesses vagus nerve technology for everyday wellbeing

Yōjō is a new wellness eco-system using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS), biofeedback and human coaching to help people calm their bodie...
Health : Wellness : Technology
OpenAI launches agentic AI shopping system

Daily Signals

OpenAI launches agentic AI shopping system

ChatGPT users in America can now shop directly within conversations through OpenAI’s new Instant Checkout feature, available to Pro, Plus and Free ...
Technology : Retail : Agentic AI
Stat: The running boom is powering New York’s economy

Daily Signals

Stat: The running boom is powering New York’s economy

Running is proving to be big business for New York, according to the latest Economic Impact Study from New York Road Runners (NYRR).
Sport : Health : Running
Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête du Temps stars in Louvre exhibition

Daily Signals

Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête du Temps stars in Louvre exhibition

Luxury Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has unveiled La Quête du Temps at the Louvre, a monumental automaton clock to celebrate the brand’s 270...
Luxury : Watches : Retail
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN