most popular:
2008 Holiday Gift Guides



most popular: Hot Home Wind Turbines


most popular:
$19k Electric Car in US


th comments
Alec said: "The part of the Detroit bailout that most people are failing to consider is that the collapse of the Big 3 isn't just the end of 3 bloated, poorly ..." [read]

MrDecider said: "Cute, but really just an energy shell game. Electric Energy "energy" was used to make the zinc and copper, both by electrolis, and that process u..." [read]

Kiev said: "Check out the article link to technology review. it is a bit more thorough. it appears the shroud is effectively concentrating and speeding up the ..." [read]

jon said: "The choice is not between remaining in the same place or moving your house with you wherever you go. This is where selling and renting come into p..." [read]

weee recycling said: "@ Rob - not much use to the government here in the UK - they lose most of their laptops before they have a chance to become obsolete! Many mo..." [read]

TransNeomatic Bowl

by Joey Roth, Brooklyn, USA on 06.14.07
Design & Architecture

neomatic.jpg

Inspired by the scooters that zip through Vietnam's streets at all hours but distressed by the mountains of used tires that end up in the country's landfills, designers Fernando and Humberto Campana created the TransNeomatic bowl. Made from a used scooter tire that's filled with a web of natural wicker, the bowls articulate the tension between modernity and tradition that informs much of the developing world. The bowl is actually a set of well-mediated contrasts: warm and cold, organic and mechanical, fast and slow. Each bowl is made in Vietnam using familiar handicraft techniques, and is part of Artecnica's Design with Conscience campaign.

UPDATE: A number of sharp-eyed readers have pointed out that the tire used here is new. I'm checking to see if this is just a prototype, and if the production models actually use tires "rescued from landfills".

Comments (12)

That's not a *used* tire. It's brand new. The little injection molding hairs are still on it.

The picture clearly shows a new tire being used. Are claims such as 'used scooter tire' verified? Using new tires would be a bit of a waste!

jump to top Mark S Burgunder says:

im am 100% for recycling but that is not a used tire. you can see the tread on it still

jump to top dylan says:

Good eyes! The product literature and booth representative at ICFF said that the tire was used. Perhaps this is just a prototype? I sent an email to confirm that the tires in the production version are "rescued from a landfill," and will post the updated info here.

jump to top Joey Roth says:

I have some VOC's and other toxins with my salad, thanks!

jump to top Josh says:

That looks suspiciously like a new tire. I wonder if the used ones are as nice.

jump to top Lenny says:

Looking at the little rubber 'whiskers' that are sticking out of the sides of that tire, I would say that it is not used.


jump to top Ruben says:

I sincerely hope that the one in the picture is a prototype, cuz that tire is brand spankin'new (notice the rubber "nipples" from the injection process). Couldn't find anything on it at the listed link.

Inspired by waste ... to create more of it. Hard to not call this greenwashing. Hope it's just a bad picture choice and I'm wrong.

jump to top Greennovator says:

A used scooter tyre? Clearly the tyre in the picture is brand new - hardly as green as it is trying to make out!

jump to top Chris Ellison says:

That's a brand new tire!

It's not recycled, you can see the fresh tread and the fine threads of rubber left by the injection moulding process!

jump to top Stuart Cox says:

Saw this at ICFF and posed the same "but is it recycled?!" question to Artecnica's reps, pointing out the seemingly unworn grooves and rubber threads sticking out of the tire. They explained this was only a prototype and that the Vietnamese artisans (these are hand made) who created the sample ended up using only a slightly used/worn tire for it which explains why the prototype looks so new. can't wait to see how the final product will look like...

jump to top Allison says:

That is indeed a prototype. The production pieces are 100% recycled tires sealed with an eco-friendly sealant.

jump to top Kara says:

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

th ads
th top picks
th ads