Raffles rug by David Mrugala for Azmas Rugs
Dezeen Showroom: Indian company Azmas Rugs has extended its experiments with mathematics and design to its most complex creation yet, the Raffles rug, devised by designer David Mrugala. More
Squid-bone sponge found to soak up 99.8 per cent of microplastics
A sponge made from a fusion of cotton fibre and squid bone could help to clear some of the world's microplastic pollution after a team of Chinese researchers found it can soak up as much as 99.8 per cent of the particles from water samples. More
IKEA revives popular 1970s shelf by Niels Gammelgaard in Nytillverkad vintage collection
IKEA has announced it will re-release some of its most celebrated vintage designs from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, including a steel-framed shelf that is one of the Swedish furniture brand's most popular products on the resale market. More
The top 10 material innovations of 2024
The realities of climate change have driven another big year in material innovation in 2024. Here are 10 of the best solutions that have put a promising spin on cement, plastic, fur, linoleum, or even introduced something new. More
Aalto University immortalises early mobile tech with Nokia Design Archive
Designs from the early years of mobile phone technology will be brought to the fore in the Nokia Design Archive, an online portal being launched by Finland's Aalto University. More
Wunders offers furniture factory waste to makers in Cape Town MakeSpace
South African furniture brand Wunders has worked with designer Heath Nash to open its waste stores permanently to local Cape Town makers following a workshop and exhibition that showed the potential of reclaimed materials. More
Jaguar unveils concept car as "pure expression of new creative philosophy"
British automaker Jaguar has revealed images of its electric concept car, the Type 00, two weeks on from the launch of a rebrand that made waves online. More
Kvadrat launches first recycled polyester textile actually made from polyester
Textile brand Kvadrat has worked with designer Teruhiro Yanagihara to launch its first recycled polyester textile made of waste fabric instead of the usual plastic bottles. More
Apartheid-era demolition rubble becomes part of rebuilding in Cape Town's District Six
Local firm The MAAK has worked with artists Zayaan Khan and Kent Andreasen to develop a historically sensitive approach to building in District Six – a contentious Cape Town neighbourhood that was razed during apartheid. More
Ten chairs that tell the diverse stories of the African continent
The inaugural Design Week South Africa included an exhibition bringing together chairs from across the continent of Africa. Here the curators share 10 highlights, ranging from a red garden chair mended with electric wire to a throne made of guns. More
Aloe vera provides "sustainable alternative" to cotton in Kirkby Design textile
British textile brand Kirkby Design has created what it believes to be the first interior fabric made from aloe vera – a plant that grows without need for chemicals, fertilisers or additional watering. More
Chess set hidden in scarf, watch and rings by Louis Le Joly Senoville
A whole chess set was translated into wearable accessories in this prototype by French designer Louis Le Joly Senoville, a fan of the game who wanted to make it possible to play anywhere at any time. More
AAU Anastas reinterprets stone vaulting as glass Serpentine Bell sculpture
Hollow glass blocks assembled similarly to a self-supporting stone arch make up the Serpentine Bell, a sculpture by Palestinian architects AAU Anastas and Japanese sound artist Tomoko Sauvage. More
Design Week South Africa aims to "grow pride" in local design
There are complex challenges to stimulating the design scene in the most unequal country in the world, the founder of Design Week South Africa Margot Molyneux tells Dezeen in this interview. More
Prada and Axiom Space reveal spacesuits for next lunar landing
Fashion house Prada and aerospace company Axiom Space have revealed their design for NASA's Artemis III spacesuit, set to be worn by the first astronauts to return to the surface of the moon in over 50 years. More
ETH Zurich explores novel fabrication method for light and reusable concrete staircase
Material-saving and reversible construction approaches are showcased in the spine-like Cadenza concrete spiral staircase, created by researchers at technology university ETH Zurich working with ROK Architects. More
Biodesign meets Pacific Islander craft in glowing Lucid Life objects
Designer Christopher Bellamy has sought to marry biotechnology and craft in a series of works that combine traditional knowledge from artisans in the Pacific Islands with a new material made from bioluminescent algae. More
Wood waste and bioplastic floor panel boasts the strength of steel
US researchers working with SHoP Architects have created a potential alternative to steel and concrete as a structural floor material: recyclable panels made entirely from bioplastic and wood flour. More
Johnnie Walker sheds 300 grams to make "world's lightest" glass whisky bottle
Beverage company Diageo has produced what it believes is the world's lightest standard-sized glass spirits bottle for its Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra whisky, launching next week at the London Design Festival. More
Pyri wildfire detection device melts in response to fire
A pinecone-shaped wildfire detector built out of wax and charcoal has won the UK James Dyson Award, recognising the best inventions by student and graduate designers. More