Need to Know
24 : 01 : 22

Australia – Universal token Metakey is working with the Australian Open tennis championship to offer a collection of generative non-fungible token (NFT) tennis balls. Called Art Balls, the NFTs combine real-time match and ball-tracking data. Each NFT represents a 19 x 19cm plot of tennis court surface, which are assigned randomly at purchase.

When any of the 11 championship points land on an NFT owner’s plot, they will be rewarded with the tennis ball used in the physical match – complete with a display case and a certificate of authenticity. Art Ball owners will also gain access to limited-edition wearables, Australian Open merchandise and other future benefits. In this way, Metakey shows how NFTs can complement physical events to bolster the appeal of investing in digital assets.

Such a dynamic item points to future opportunities for sports fandom to enter virtual realms through immersive digital innovations.

London – Using 3D printing technology, coffee cups collected around the city, and mycelium, sustainable design practice Blast Studio is creating an architectural column that provides structural support while producing edible mushrooms.

To create the Tree Column, Blast Studio mixes coffee cup waste with mycelium into a blend. Then, this mixture is fed into a custom-made cold extruder that prints the material into a column. Once the material has been processed and printed, the mycelium begins to consume the paper pulp of the cups, taking over the column and producing edible mushrooms in the process. After this, the column is ready to be dried to produce a load-bearing architectural column that provides natural insulation and has fire-retardant qualities.

Offering architectural strength while providing food, this innovative column strives to replace environmentally harmful materials like concrete. ‘Our vision is to start a new type of living architecture that could self-repair and be harvested to feed people,' explains Paola Garnousset, co-founder of Blast Studio. Elsewhere, we have explored how eco-materials like algae can improve the urban environment with their air-purifying properties.

It’s been a robust year for cognac sales, with strong demand in different regions across the world. Indeed, in 2021 alone, cognac sales in China leapt by 56%, with 34m bottles shipped.

After experiencing stronger sales than expected, spirits group Rémy Cointreau increased its full-year profit forecast in November 2021. Driven in large part by Chinese demand for old vintage bottles, the surge in sales reflects a shifting consumer preference towards premium liquor. Elsewhere, in the US – cognac’s biggest market – sales were up by 11%, with 115m bottles shipped in 2021. European markets also enjoyed rising sales, up by 8% to reach 37.1m bottles shipped. ‘This growth reflects a real recovery of cognac, as well as new consumption habits,’ explains the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC).

As demand for cognac surpasses pre-pandemic levels, the outlook for the drink remains positive. With sales of premium products soaring in China, it’s a good occasion to revisit this article about the Premium Spirits Defying World Borders.