November 26, 2007 | Filed under: Material Features
Undersea Movement
Few materials tell as good a story as the seashell. Its exotic decorative appeal---from capiz’s gentle translucency to the enigmatic radiance of mother-of-pearl---still captures the imagination as emissary of a precious other world.
Modern takes on the shell have given it a whole new personality. Designers have elevated its image to a whole new level, making its unique properties and glorious sheen part of a powerful graphic vision. Nowadays, the unique patterns on shells of different species are mixed with sleek modern concepts. It’s the best of nature tamed by design nurture, as only Cebu X exhibitors can think of.
Companies like Jamaica Markets Corporation have been working with shell for decades now. Situated in the Philippines---home to many of the world’s most beautiful marine species---Jamaica Markets could not have a better location to pay homage to the beauty of nature. Shy bivalves are now depicted as bold...(read more)
November 06, 2007 | Filed under: Material Features
BAMBOOZLED
Acknowledged to be one of the greenest materials around, the eco movement has put bamboo in the spotlight once again.
Leave it to the world of design to make the old new again.
In this environmentally enlightened age, designers are reexamining materials based on their impact on nature. A result of that approach? The humble bamboo has become one of design’s hottest new stars, enjoying a resurgence that takes in everything from a pair of chopsticks to innovative flooring to the structure of an entire building.
We are now asking questions about material that have not been raised the past. We ask whether it comes from a renewable source, if the cultivation method is sustainable. We find out how much energy is consumed in the process. The dialogue may stretch further into economics and politics.
But finally we ask, is this product beautiful? And by beautiful we mean, has the...(read more)
September 08, 2007 | Filed under: Material Features
Green is the New Black
Blame it on Al Gore. Blame it on the snowballing information phenomenon, but however you see it, looks like the trend is here to stay. With their increasing preference for all products environment-friendly, customers are now dictating a furniture revolution where not just the outcome but the means of manufacturing matters.
Vendors are taking customers seriously. Sustainability is the buzzword right now for furniture meccas such as the Las Vegas Market, where the 15,000 square feet Living Green Pavilion officially kicks off a style and substance approach to creating, selling, and buying furniture.
In the Cebu scene, eco-friendly manufacturer Nature's Legacy leads the charge in green furniture, with products that are made from cast-off leaves and twigs (sold under the brand name Nature's Cast). The manufacturing process involves the employment of local...(read more)
