Singgih Kartono's New Radio Now Available in USA

Last year we loved the minimalist, retro looking wooden radio designed by Singgih Kartono. The designer used sustainably harvested wood, but also wanted to revitalize craft industries, creating jobs for people who were making simple handicrafts, but now can supply the cases for a high tech, high value, "MP3 ready" product, redesigned with FM, AM and two short wave bands. (how retro is that?)

When we talk about how good design is the key to sustainability, products like this come to mind: sustainable materials, great design, creating decent jobs and building communities all at once.

When he won an award from the International Design Resource Association (IDRA) in Seattle last year, they wrote:

"IDRA is an annual product design competition with the goal of creating new product designs and built environments using recycled and sustainably harvested materials. "Crafts Radio" fits the award criteria as a product made from post-consumer recycled material or sustainably- harvested material, and bear the potential for future recycling and for adding value to the commodities used.

"Crafts Radio" is based on the concept of relations between human and product, human and electronics-based technology, and local resources technology, added with the perspective of environmental issue.

Crafts Radio's designer wants to change people's perspective which views handicraft as an art which only has a role in traditional scope, in the form of simple souvenirs. Crafts Radio allows a synergy between industries : the electronics industry which makes up the "content" part of the Radio, and the handicraft industry which makes up the "physical" part of the Radio."

Now available in the US for $275 through ::Areaware