An Eco-Design Lab and Luxury Brand, by Discovered In
by Paula Alvarado, Buenos Aires on 10. 3.06
Our featured firm Discovered In has been approaching the eco and socially responsible business from different perspectives, which offer a space for designers wiling to work with these subjects. First, they’ve launched Eco Design Lab, a place to discuss and develop products based on design briefs (related to the activities of artisan communities from Latin American countries). Designers can register on the designer database, and receive monthly product briefs to submit design ideas. A short-list of feasible designs gets published on the Eco Design Lab website for comment and review, and visitors to the website are asked to vote for their favorites. After the voting takes place, the winners will get produced and the designers of the winning products will receive design royalty payments, while of course, helping communities to input their work into attractive products. On the other hand, Discovered In is developing Tiptoe, a brand oriented to a more expensive and/or sophisticated audience “that aims to offer fantastic quality products of excellent design, affordable by the consumer and by the planet”. This brand’s catalogue is formed with some products resulting from the Eco Design Lab and others found around South America.
Discovered In distributes the products made by associations and cooperatives of the urban poor in developing nations and began operating in Brazil in 2005.
To get involved and/or to get to know the products, visit Discovered In and Eco Design Lab.
