MIT's 4D-Knit Dress changes shape in response to heat
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers and fashion brand Ministry of Supply have produced a "4D-knit dress", using heat-activated yarn that allows its shape and fit to be altered in an instant. More
Polestar eliminates the rear window in latest electric car
Swedish automaker Polestar has begun taking orders for the Polestar 4 – the world's first mass-market car to have no rear window. More
World's largest cruise ship sets sail amid sustainability concerns
Royal Carribbean's near-10,000-capacity Icon of the Seas has set sail on its maiden voyage amid controversy over the environmental impact of its new fuel. More
Food-waste dyes bring colour to mycelium leather in Sages and Osmose project
Two British materials companies, Sages and Osmose, have collaborated to dye sheets of mycelium with natural food waste, mimicking the appearance of tanned leather and suggesting a colourful future for the biomaterial. More
First full-height timber wind turbine opens in Sweden
The world's first full-scale timber wind turbine has started turning in Sweden, with a tower built by wood technology company Modvion. More
Studio Bark devises structural use for waste timber in English woodlands
British architecture practice Studio Bark has worked with students from the University of East London to devise a roof-supporting column with otherwise unusable timber at a site within ancient English woodland. More
Layer rethinks bed design with foamless and disassemblable Mazzu mattress
British design studio Layer has aimed to bring sustainability to mattress design in a collaboration with Chinese start-up Mazzu, creating a modular, foamless product made up of textile-covered springs. More
"Making cars electric is not enough" says Lowie Vermeersch
Former Ferrari-designer Lowie Vermeersch has created a new type of micro vehicle intended to push traditional cars off the road. In this interview, he discusses new start-up Komma and his vision for the future of mobility. More
Rabbit reimagines the digital experience with AI-powered R1 device
US start-up Rabbit and tech company Teenage Engineering have designed the R1, a "pocket companion" that aims to upturn the dominance of smartphones in our lives by using artificial intelligence to complete tasks. More
Marc Newson and Swarovski Optik create AI smart binoculars
Designed by Marc Newson and unveiled at this week's Consumer Electronics Show, Swarovski Optik's AX Visio binoculars are equipped with artificial intelligence so they can identify bird and animal species. More
Withings' "thermometer of the future" measures more than just temperature
Health tech company Withings has used the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil its BeamO "multiscope" – a device that allows people to conduct four routine medical checks at home, designed together with Elium Studio. More
CornWall gives discarded corn cobs new life as tiles
Materials companies Circular Matters and StoneCycling have used corn cobs – one of the world's most plentiful agricultural waste materials – to make interior cladding that is biodegradable and almost entirely bio-based. More
Revalu aims to improve access to materials data for architects
The Revalu platform uses one million data points and an AI-powered accuracy checker to enable architects to compare the environmental impacts of different building materials. More
Australia bans engineered stone due to silicosis risk
Australia has become the first country in the world to ban engineered stone, following rising cases of silicosis among workers who handle the material. More
Dezeen's top 10 product designs of 2023
A phone charger for rough sleepers, a basketball that never goes flat and glasses that instantly change prescription are among this year's top product designs, which we've rounded up as part of our review of 2023. More
Puma reveals results of Re:Suede experiment to make a biodegradable shoe
Sportswear brand Puma has said it is a step closer to launching a truly biodegradable shoe, following a trial in which a specially made version of its Suede sneakers decomposed under strict conditions. More
Human Material Loop sets out to commercialise textiles made from hair
Dutch company Human Material Loop is using an unusual waste source to make a zero-carbon wool alternative that requires no land or water use: human hair. More
Colorifix harnesses bacteria for non-toxic clothes dyeing
The process of using bacteria to colour textiles has been brought to a commercial scale by British company Colorifix, which hopes to cut the fashion industry's use of toxic chemical dyes. More
Animal-centric interspecies design goes "beyond sustainability"
A new design trend prioritises the needs of bugs and animals above human beings. Rima Sabina Aouf finds out if "interspecies design" is the next step in creating more sustainable spaces and objects. More
32°N adaptive focus sunglasses can switch from distance to reading mode
A person can change the prescription of their eyewear with a quick swipe with the 32°N sunglasses by technology company DeepOptics. More