Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion.

An interview with Sarah Scatturo of the Cooper-Hewitt Museum.

The exhibition surveys the work of artists and designers (many of whom are based in New York) who explore practical and symbolic solutions to the question of integrating sustainable practices into the fashion system.

By Sapna Shah

For this blog post, I had the opportunity to interview Sarah Scaturro, the textile conservator at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Sarah, along with Francesca Granata, guest curated the Ethics + Aesthetics = Sustainable Fashion exhibition.

Changing the Way We See Our World

A new computer display that decreases glare and increases visibility

By Ben Knight

Following up on last month’s blog post about technology and strategic design, computers have become synonymous with final concepts of any design work in our world.  I am here to give you a strategic design technology tip coming up early next year. PixelQi,

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Now is the time for designers to hone their business skills.

By Kristin Leu

At a time when companies are cutting back on projects and jobs, how can you convince your clients to spend on design when they are pinching every penny? Whether your clients are internal or external; whether you’re new to the biz or a long-time pro; it’s never been more important to develop your business skills to secure your position and keep your clients.

Chief Meaning Officer

An exploration of how designers can add value by reinforcing meaning.

Photo Credit: James Ransom

By Diane Ruegensorn

Recently, I was asked to present at the conference Designing for a Sustainable World. During my presentation, I described a title I’d recently heard: Chief Meaning Officer. The title is a perfect description of what I try to do at Domestic Aesthetic, create meaning for people and craft connections

WorldChanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century

Tools for CATALYZING Change

By Andrew Skurdal

WorldChanging: A User’s Guide for the 21^st Century encapsulates the ideas, solutions and models focused on tackling the unprecedented global and interconnected challenges facing our world.

CATALYST Issue 2 is NOW Available!

Designing Climate Safe Economies: Life-Centered Design

This issue of CATALYST Strategic Design Review examines the consequences of an extractive, consumer-driven global economy and encourages thinking about new models and methods.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in the issue:

Reframing our Consumer-Based Economy

Professor Eric Wilmot challenges “human-centered” design as an unsustainable model that ignores the resources needed to supply our consumption-based economy. He inspires “resource-centered” design thinking by suggesting a reframe and walking readers though a thought-provoking example.

The Next Leed?: Developing Sustainable Standards

Leonardo Academy is working with stakeholders from across the U.S. to develop a standard by which agricultural practices will be rated based on their environmental impact. CATALYST editor Holly Burns sits down with Michael Arny and Amanda Raster to get the inside scoop on Leonardo Academy’s role in developing a farming standard that may change your future trips down the produce aisle.

Soil not Oil: Rethinking Agriculture in India

World renowned activist and scientist Vandana Shiva shares how Navdanya International is fortifying the local Indian economy by redesigning its agricultural model. The organization trains farmers with practices that naturally increase crop yield while decreasing dependence on expensive oil and scarce water supplies. The successful practices have increased income while taking into account the wellness of farmers and their families and respect for the land on which their livelihoods depend.

Tools for CATALYZING Change

> Confessions of a Radical Industrialist: Executive Summary and Q&A with Ray Anderson of Interface Carpet

Ray Anderson is a leader in triple bottom line sustainability. In 1995, he challenged his company, Interface, to become a completely sustainable carpet manufacturer. His newly released book, Confessions of a Radical Industrialist, chronicles 15 years of their ongoing quest for “Mission Zero.” This resource summary highlights best practices from Anderson’s book and is accompanied by a Q&A with the author.

> WorldChanging

> LivingClimateChange.com

Ventures & Explorations

News from Alumni and Staff of the Pratt Design Management Program

> Spotlight on Maren Maier & Sami Nerenberg

Read more in the second issue of CATALYST Strategic Design Review: Designing Climate Safe Economies: Life-Centered Design

LivingClimateChange.com

Tools for CATALYZING Change

By Erin Weber

The creative team at IDEO has taken on a new challenge climate change. In September 2009, the company launched a new blog called LivingClimageChange.com. The mission of the site is to apply design thinking to the development of solutions surrounding the complex challenges of climate change.

Confessions of a Radical Industrialist

Tools for CATALYZING Change

A conveyor belt brings pieces of used carpet to be recycled into new carpet tiles. Interface sought technology from around the world in order to make their closed-loop concept a reality.

By Erin Weber

In September of this year, Ray Anderson, the founder and chairman of Interface Carpets, published his second book as a response to the corporate leaders who continue to question the value and economic return for a commitment to environmentally and socially sustainable business practice.

Reframing our Consumer-Based Economy

The Shift from Human-Centered to Resource-Centered Design

The carcass of an albatross on the beach; birds and sea mammals mistake plastics for food then inevitably starve to death. This is the bird’s actual gut sample. Photo courtesy Algalita.org.

By Eric Wilmot

We are all consumers. As we continue to gain a deeper understanding of the impacts of global growth, it has become clear that our consumption-centric lifestyle has challenged our planet’s ability to support us.

Soil Not Oil

Rethinking Agriculture in India

By Dr. Vandana Shiva

Navdanya International is redesigning the agriculture model in India by training farmers with practices that naturally increase crop yield while decreasing dependence on expensive oil and scarce water supplies.