Blog 3 - RJG

Eco-Products

http://www.ecoproducts.com/va-cms/history.html

Boulder-based Eco-Products uses the new trends in sustainability to produce a minimal carbon footprint in paper consumer goods. Their products range from cups and plates to cutlery and cases, all made from compostable goods (corn plastic and sugarcane specifically). This company isn’t trying to jump on the bandwagon for better profits; they have been pursuing eco-friendly products since 1990. It wasn’t until 2005 however, that Eco-products began manufacturing its own products rather than operating strictly as a distributor of goods. The business model adopted the use of corn-based plastics to work better with higher heat uses.

After talking in detail with a rep of Eco-Products, it appears as though companies spend about 15-20% more on the compostable goods over the traditional products used, but this is an investment, which more and more companies are willing to make, as ethical and environmental consciousness becomes more important to a company’s specific consumer base.

http://www.chebahut.com/articles/waste-not-want-not.html

Cheba Hut (16^th and Champa) uses eco-products exclusively, and has practically eliminated their overall waste output, by having customer’s separate their trash into 3 different containers (recyclable, compostable, and chip bags, which are donated to a specific charity.) The extra effort is facilitated by Eco-Products who advertise the minimal carbon footprint of the sandwich shop.

Eco-products have become a stamp of approval for a demographic that cares about environmental sustainability and waste consciousness. There products are not the most innovative visually, but the design is catered to the specified needs of the consumer. There are certain subtleties which appear to be specific design choices, such as a larger ridge on their plastic coffee lids (http://www.ecoproducts.com/va-cms/hot_cups.html), and an elegant, minimalist theme to their cutlery that sets them apart from traditional plasticware(http://www.ecoproducts.com/va-cms/cutlery.html). Environmentally minded customers feel drawn to support businesses that use eco-products, and both eco-products and the purchaser turn profits. Win, win, win.

Metaform Studio

http://www.metaformstudio.com/index.html

A second company that promotes sustainability in their design is metaform studio, which uses found materials and recycled wooden palettes and FSC woods, ensuring that any materials were properly harvested to make the product.

This company charges a premium for their products, with lights ranging anywhere from $350 to $1400. With the slogan “sustainable living illuminated,” I wonder if, unlike Eco-Products, metaform studio is promoting sustainability in their work to latch on to the sustainability trend or to justify potentially outrageous costs of lamps.

Regardless of their actual motives, their products cater to many of the key design trends as discussed in the October 2008 issue of the David Report.

Each piece constructed of found materials (crates, palettes, etc) will undoubtedly be unique. The tower light (http://www.metaformstudio.com/collection/tower.html) priced at a meager $1400 is one such example.

Originally I thought this piece to be ridiculously over-priced, and simply a coy attempt for the company to try an capitalize on the new sustainability trend to justify a significant cost for their product. However, upon further contemplation, I decided that if I ordered multiple “Tower Lights,” I would receive multiple unique sculptures of found wood, which also happened to be light sources for a room. To brand the lights as Art first, with use second, one could justify the cost of each individual piece.

There is an allure for individualism in our culture, and objects such as the “Tower Light” satiate those desires. To have the object partially made of recycled materials is an added benefit, assuring the customer of the environmental gratitude associated with purchasing this product.

There is a tribal quality associated with purchasing a product such as the “Tower Light,” especially if the materials used to create it were found within the local area for which it was sold. It would transform the purpose of lighting a room into starting a conversation. There is a seduction in having a piece of artwork that tells multiple stories, and a piece such as the “Tower Light” could do that.