Sun-powered, citizen-funded LightSail 2 in orbit

December 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Scientists at The Planetary Society have demonstrated the power of solar energy with a spacecraft that orbits the earth fueled solely by sunlight. The LightSail 2 was developed for a CubeSat, a small, standardized satellite about the size of a loaf of bread that hitches a ride to space with larger p…
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A stylish pergola, aglow

December 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Cool and contemporary, a new retractable pergola system showcases a sleek, linear style by integrating lighting as a key element. Gennius Vega, designed by the Italian shading components and systems maker KE Outdoor Design, features LED lights inserted along the pergola’s guides and posts, outlini…
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Award-winning design, Polartec style

December 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Polartec, the company that revolutionized cold weather wear in 1981 with the introduction of Polartec® synthetic fleece, is committed to encouraging innovation in fabric technology. The annual Polartec Apex Awards honor the brands and designers that excel at turning Polartec fabrics into unique pro…
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Dye textiles the natural way with the Onion Society

November 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Onions are great on burgers, in spaghetti sauce and, of course, in French onion soup. But this vegetable possesses qualities beyond being tasty: A group of students at the Parsons School of Design harnessed the power of onions to dye textiles the natural way. The students worked with New York fashio…
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Anti-stink athletic wear

November 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Your daily exercise routine doesn’t have to include smelly T-shirts: That’s the idea behind a new line of exercise gear designed to be anti-stink and pro-environment. Launched by Megan Eddings, a chemist who was tired of athletic wear that retained odors even after multiple washings, Accel Lifes…
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Vegan leather, beyond beLEAF™

November 1, 2019  |  Swatches

A material that looks and feels like leather is actually made from leaves. Natural and renewable, beLEAF™ is the creation of Nova Kaeru, a Brazilian company dedicated to developing ethical, sustainable and innovative products. The company’s process, after five years of research, transforms …
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Fashion design with reflective fabrics

November 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Apparel design and development student Anna Schmidtke knows you don’t have to sacrifice style for safety. She demonstrated this principle in a design for the annual spring WEAR Fashion Show at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.  The 20-year-old sophomore from Forest Lake, Minn., designed a floor-…
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A wrap for the win: NASCAR style

November 1, 2019  |  Swatches

NASCAR’s Tyler Reddick, 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, returned to the track to defend his title in style at the NASCAR CTECH Manufacturing 180 Xfinity Series race in August at Road America in Wisconsin. Reddick, a Richard Childress Racing Driver, drove the No. 2 Roland Chevrolet Camaro with…
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Don’t like what you see? DIY!

October 1, 2019  |  Swatches

You see the perfect bag but wish it were just a bit more tangerine. Now Freitag®, the German-Swiss maker of recycled bags, has a proposition that eco-conscious trendsetters can’t refuse: make it yourself. Freitag came on the scene in 1993 with a messenger bag made from used truck tarpaulins, disc…
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Rising to sustainable heights: solar balloons

October 1, 2019  |  Swatches

Imagine a thousand balloons gently floating in the air above a public square collecting energy from the sun. That’s the vision of Superspace, an Istanbul, Turkey-based architecture and design studio. Its design “solarCLOUD” was shortlisted for Land Art Generator, an annual international design…
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