Seven alternative bricks made of reclaimed waste and biomaterials
Expanded cork, construction waste and human urine feature in this roundup of brick alternatives, designed to reduce the masonry unit's embodied carbon footprint. More
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Plantd Materials creates OSB board alternative from processed grass
North Carolina firm Plantd Materials has developed a material consisting of processed perennial grasses that it says will be lighter and stronger than traditional timber boards while capturing more carbon.
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UAL rolls out Re-Use donation boxes where students can leave and source materials
A team of current and former students from the University of the Arts London have collaborated to create mobile storage units, allowing classmates to deposit and collect materials as part of a "circular economy of sharing". More
Luca Nichetto designs apple-leather Malala handbag for Angela Roi
Designer Luca Nichetto has made his first foray into fashion accessories with the Malala handbag, which was partially produced from apples for vegan leathergoods brand Angela Roi. More
Municipal waste used to form low-carbon brick for Design Museum Gent extension
Architecture studios Carmody Groarke and TRANS Architectuur Stedenbouw have collaborated with material researchers to develop a brick made from local construction waste, which will be used to build the new wing of the Design Museum Gent. More
England bans single-use plastic plates and cutlery to limit "devastating" pollution
The sale of single-use plastic tableware and certain takeaway containers will be prohibited in England starting this autumn, the UK government has announced. More
MIT and Harvard researchers find secret to "self-healing" Roman concrete
Researchers from MIT and Harvard claim to have solved the mystery behind the durability of ancient Rome's concrete structures, and are now aiming to bring a modern version of the recipe to the market. More
PlasticFree is a database of over 100 plastic alternatives for designers and architects
Environmental organisation A Plastic Planet has launched an online platform to help architects and designers source plastic-free materials for their projects and avoid the "minefield of misinformation" around more sustainable alternatives. More
Shellmet is a helmet for fishing workers made from waste scallop shells
Tokyo advertising agency TBWA\Hakuhodo and plastics manufacturer Koushi Chemical Industry Co have created Shellmet, a hard hat made from discarded scallop shells and recycled plastic. More
Interior design trends for 2023 reflect "anger in the world" and post-covid community focus
Interiors will get weirder in 2023 with bolder colours, mushroom materials and less birch plywood, designers have told Dezeen. More
Water-filled windows use sunlight to heat and cool buildings
British startup Water-Filled Glass has developed panes of glass filled with water that use sunlight to power a "crazy" energy-saving heating and cooling system. More
BioLab Studio develops 3D-printed "bio scaffold" for growing mycelium
California-based BioLab Studio has developed a system that uses 3D printers to construct wooden scaffolding that cultivates mycelium maintained by a robotic arm. More
"The world needs cement" says concrete industry decarbonisation chief
Concrete will remain the world's dominant construction material over biomaterials such as timber as the world transitions to net-zero, claims GCCA chief executive Thomas Guillot. More
Natural Material Studio creates reusable biomaterial gift wrap for Calvin Klein
Copenhagen-based Natural Material Studio has unveiled an understated pouch made from biomaterial for fashion brand Calvin Klein that was designed as a Christmas gift wrap. More
Checkerspot releases algae-based plastic prototype kit for designers
California materials company Checkerspot has launched a casting kit named Pollinator Kit that allows designers to experiment with making components from algae-based plastics. More
"We couldn't go as soft as we did in the first film" says Wakanda Forever costume designer Ruth E Carter
Oscar-winning superhero film Black Panther paved the way for a bolder approach to fashion in its sequel Wakanda Forever, costume designer Ruth E Carter tells Dezeen in this exclusive interview. More
Helena Elston designs decomposable garments from mycelium and recycled materials
Designer Helena Elston has created a collection of upcycled clothing made from mycelium and London-sourced textile waste, which explores "how we can produce beautiful things from discarded materials". More
Corian Solid Surface helps develop sustainable spaces for people to live and work
Promotion: the Corian Design business of DuPont is actively moving towards circular economy principles by increasingly using recycled materials and reducing material waste in the production of its Corian Solid Surface material. More
PETA launches $1 million design competition to create vegan wool
Animal rights organisation PETA has launched the Vegan Wool Challenge, calling on designers and researchers to develop a vegan alternative to sheep's wool with a lower environmental impact. More
Construction commences on BIG and ICON's community of 3D-printed homes in Texas
Construction is underway on a community of 100 3D-printed homes in Texas co-designed by Danish architecture studio BIG and American construction technology company ICON. More