Seven key installations and exhibitions from Melbourne Design Week 2024
Sculptures grown from arctic seawater are among the projects in this roundup of seven of the most intriguing exhibitions from Melbourne Design Week. More
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Recycling "breakthrough" could usher in zero-emissions cement
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have devised a way of cheaply producing low-carbon concrete at scale by making use of waste cement and the steel industry's electric arc furnaces. More
XL Extralight exhibits sole and foam-making process at Milan design week
Promotion: XL Extralight showcased its manufacturing process in an exhibition designed by Italian architect Andrea Caputo as an "immersive museum itinerary" during Milan design week. More
Christien Meindertsma develops linoleum tiles that can be remolded "like playdough"
Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma aimed to rebrand linoleum and establish a new visual language for the misunderstood material with the Flaxwood tiles she has created for manufacturer Dzek. More
Is a plastic-free future possible?
With Earth Day 2024 and an increasing number of environmental campaigners calling for an end to plastics, is time finally up for the 20th century's miracle material? Rima Sabina Aouf finds out if we can – and should – abolish plastic. More
Adam Sheet is a waterproof biotextile made from apple waste
Japanese design studio Sozai Center has created Adam Sheet, a washable and scratch-resistant biomaterial made of leftover apple pomace mixed with bioplastic. More
Buildings "biggest lever" for improving global resource efficiency says UN report
The built environment is the fastest-growing consumer of materials in the world – but it also offers the most potential for improvement according to Julia Okatz, advisor on the UN's landmark Global Resource Outlook. More
The Down-Less Down Jacket converts infrared light to heat
Japanese manufacturer Sumitomo Metal Mining Co has showcased its heat-producing Solament material in a jacket displayed at the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. More
FranklinTill shares nine principles for a shift to regenerative materials
Design research agency FranklinTill has compiled a list of principles to help designers, makers and brands avoid greenwashing when sourcing textiles. More
Hundreds of Max Lamb works shown with cord-covered objects by Jay Sae Jung Oh
Hundreds of pieces by UK designer Max Lamb and pieces made with cord-covered waste material by South Korean designer Jay Sae Jung Oh are being displayed at New York gallery Salon 94 Design. More
ICON develops 3D printer to build enclosed multi-storey structures
Texas-based ICON has unveiled Phoenix, a robotic-arm-mounted 3D printer that can create fully-enclosed, multi-storey structures from a low-carbon mixture, at SXSW. More
Coperni unveils Air Swipe bag made of 99 per cent air
Greek researcher and visual artist Ioannis Michaloudis has created the Air Swipe bag for fashion brand Coperni using NASA-produced silica aerogel that was developed to "catch stardust". More
Construction commences on world's "tallest 3D-printed structure" Tor Alva
Architects Michael Hansmeyer and Benjamin Dillenburger are creating a 30-metre-tall tower in the Swiss Alps, which is being 3D-printed with concrete by technology university ETH Zurich. More
"The allure of the 'bio' prefix must be taken with some healthy scrutiny"
Biomaterials have the potential to significantly cut carbon emissions but designers should approach them with caution to avoid creating a whole new set of problems, warns Sioban Imms. More
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
Ganni makes BioFluff bags from "world's first plant-based fur"
Plastic-free, fake fur made from nettle, hemp and flax fibres envelops these special edition bags that Danish fashion brand Ganni has unveiled at Copenhagen Fashion Week. 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
"We need to design for human behaviour if we're ever to get rid of single-use plastics"
Packaging designs aimed at boosting recycling rates and reducing the prevalence of single-use plastics are destined to fail unless they help to change people's behaviour, writes Matt Millington. More