Aeir, a new fragrance and wellness brand, has launched a collection of fragrances combining NASA and biotechnology. Co-founders Enrico Pietra and Rodrigo Caula met when attending Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne in Switzerland, also known as the university of luxury. After their studies, both went on to work for the likes of Tesla and Hermès.

The new line of fragrances – unlike traditional brands – is entirely lab-made, protecting the environment from the extraction process, resulting in a product with the lowest carbon footprint possible. The silver coating achieved on the packaging is produced through a process developed by NASA that not only creates a sleek design but creates zero waste. The brand is also creating a Web3 app that provides exclusive access to its Aeir ID product line.

Inspired by future space travel, scents are designed to be reminiscent of our home planet, creating earthy fragrances inspired by the ocean, the desert and fresh sheets, for a future-facing take on wellbeing-first fragrances.

Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales, has announced a cut in customer bills after it found that 11 water companies have missed their pollution targets. Thames Water and Southern Water will have to return £51m ($58m, €58.1m) and £28m ($31.9m, €32.1m), respectively, after failing to comply with regulations on water treatment, pollution incidents and internal sewer flooding from 2021 to 2022.

The government and water companies have faced widespread criticism for permitting the dumping of raw sewage, despite the practice only being allowed during periods of high rainfall. ‘We expect companies to improve their performance every year; where they fail to do so, we will hold them to account,’ says David Black, CEO of Ofwat.

With growing consumer calls to protect the environment, some organisations are awarding legal rights to the natural world as a way to help stop ecological destruction, and to ensure sustainable actions are a legal requirement.