Need to Know
28 : 09 : 22

Finland – Aiming to provide an urban shelter for pollinators, a clay structure dubbed an ‘insect hotel’ is being inaugurated as part of Helsinki Design Week. Designed by architects Maiju Suomi and Elina Koivisto, the Alusta Pavilion is located within the courtyard between the Helsinki Design Museum and the Museum of Finnish Architecture.

The installation comprises low-rise clay and wood structures, featuring shapes and perforations designed to act as a playground for bees and insects. ‘Many visitors have exclaimed that this is like a giant insect hotel,’ says Suomi, explaining how the project’s nickname came about. Visitors are invited to explore and interact with the garden, to have a seat on the clay walls, or to attend workshops and lectures on architecture and the climate emergency hosted in the grounds.

Projects drawing on Interspecies Architecture to tackle the shrinking populations of pollinators in urban areas are blooming. The Alusta Pavilion is a good example of design bringing people and nature closer, while endorsing an educational role and raising awareness on the impact of the climate crisis on biodiversity.

France – Fragrance and flavour manufacturers like the Robertet Group tend to work in relative secrecy, producing the raw materials behind some of the world’s most popular perfumes and food products. With its latest e-Robertet online shop, however, the company is opening its vaults, allowing professionals to purchase its products directly through its website. The website will sell essential oils, vegetal oils and floral waters.

Robertet is a stalwart in the fragrance and flavour industry, with 170 years of experience and a long list of collaborations with major perfume brands and composition houses. Until today, its B2B services have largely been conducted outside the public realm – like most raw material manufacturers. Although its new e-Robertet shop is still aimed at professionals, it marks a shift away from the sheltered tendencies of the sector, promoting greater transparency.

As beauty consumers become more knowledgeable about the ingredients in their products, Robertet’s new marketplace aligns with the rise of the Skintellectual movement, something which we previously explored in the Accredited Beauty macrotrend.

A new report by Feedback EU reveals that 153m tonnes of food is wasted each year in the EU and found that significantly reducing this could help to curb food price inflation. With millions across the continent struggling to afford quality food, strategic action by the EU to reduce waste is needed urgently.

As food costs continue to rise – maize and wheat prices are expected to increase by 4.6% and 7.2%, respectively, over the coming year according to a recent study published in Nature Food – Feedback EU has called on the bloc to set a legally binding target to halve its food waste from farm to fork by 2030.

Squeezed consumers are already starting to change their priorities, turning to growing their own food and redirecting their purchasing power to discount supermarkets. This presents an opportunity for companies to take the lead with steps to reduce waste and innovative services that provide solutions for struggling customers.