Certainly we’re all different: some people simply enjoyed the rock music, while some others were converting the music into electricity with their “Sound Charge” T shirts. T- Shirts?! Completely right, and the high-tech tee each can generate about 6 watt-hours of electricity to power two mobile phones or one smartphone, with a modified piezoelectric film that acts as an oversized mic by absorbing sound waves and some interlaced quartz crystals that converts the acoustic signals into electricity.

What can people do with their metro cards? Asking that question, some NYU students have come up with a solution called “MetroChange”, which encourages New Yorkers to donate their remnant fares to charity. Several machines were built for people to participate in the campaign, and with their every swipe, money left on their metrocard is showed to them, so that they could decide whether or not to donate the money. In fact, the unused metrocard amounts totals up to $52 million each year, which finally goes to the pocket of MTA. So, if people would support this program, all the money will be distributed better- to needy New Yorkers, instead of going to the MTA.

Traditional clothes, especially those made from synthetic fiber, burns so easily in flame that they usually result in heavy burns to people who get stuck in fire.  To solve that problem, researchers from Texas A&M University have developed a nontoxic fabric that is fire-resistant. The new fabric is composed of renewable ingredients like clay and chitosan, and forms a protective layer of foam on the clothes’ surface to prevent the fabric from igniting when fire is applied to it. It is said that the flame-resistant fabric could find applications in clothes, car seats and many other fields, thus featuring a wide prospect in the market.

Designer: Texas A&M University

You know that many receipts from ATM or the stores are found to contain harmful substance Bisephenol-A (BPA)? To solve that problem, the printer manufacture Epson now boasts the world’s first BPA-free free thermal receipt paper made with recycled paper. It is already launched to the market, with a price of just $57.91 per case.

Selling Price: $57.91

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A bigger scissor? Of course not, as the gadget is actually a laptop stand that is both affordable and portable. Dubbed “Prop”, the stand can lift your laptop off the table, thus to create better airflow and cool your laptop’s temperature down. Well designed, the Prop can fit nearly all sizes of laptops up to a size 17″.

More Information Here

Basic is classic, and that’s why we’re pursuing everything that comes with a simple design but also full functions. The Sustainable Running Shoe by Nicholas Couch is rightly something worthy of our “wows”. It is made of merely 5 components without using glues, and allows for an easy assembling as well. Moreover, when not in use, these shoes can be recycled too.

Designer: Nicholas Couch

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Hello little chefs before the screens, we’ve gotten some amazing toys for you: the Cardboard Cocorico Cooker. It looks the same as a real cooker, with tiny time knobs and temperature knobs. Of course it cannot be used to bake cakes, and is actually made for the kids to practice their cooking ability. But who cares? The play kitchen set is cute enough for kids.

Designer: Elisabeth Vidal

Selling Price: $28

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Simpler is better. This Water Climb is constructed with merely a watertight bag and a cylindrical marked glass tube, but it still indicates your weight with accurate figures. The only drawback I need to point out is that the weighing scale may not work well with those who’re too fat, because I can see the item turning into a water fountain if it is added with too much weight. Just for kidding.

The Designer: Jaeyoon Park, Dajeong Kim & Jeong Heo

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Congratulation that Jake Tyler has found cardboard’s new function and made a vacuum cleaner with the material. As most parts of this vacuum cleaner are finished with cardboard, it is quite convenient for the users to change its components with new ones. Besides, the device is coated with anti-fire material so that it is safe and durable for use.

Designer: Jake Tyler

Disposable wooden chopsticks, although deemed to have destroyed a vast amount of trees, are still in great need nowadays. But fortunately we may have the hope to see our forests saved with Chung Ran Hee’s Re-Paper Chopsticks.

They’re made of recycled paper and glue, making them both user-friendly and eco-friendly. They’re smart enough for easy transportation, and you simply need to tear them down the middle and fold them if you need a pair of chopsticks.

Designer: Chung Ran Hee

Apparently these Urshuz by Grant Delgatty will soon rank TOP 1 on your list of shoes. They feature detachable soles and upper parts, allowing the wearers to freely redesign and reassemble them according to their different needs. Just as its slogan goes, “Urshuz, changes everything”.

Designer: Grant Delgatty

More Information Here

Some materials usually seem so common that we seldom though to make them into something more creative. But this PVC House designed by Hoogte Twee has proved that we should have thought of that, because we may produce really amazing things though with ordinary materials. Yups, the B (h) uis looks very magic!

Designer: Hoogte Twee

Use our intelligence. We should do this because we can create innovative or even magical things with our talent, just as Sandy Sanderson makes these mini cars with old cans, metal wires and his imagination. So incredible!

Designer: Sandy Sanderson

Waste Folder is a recyclable bin that you can take everywhere, as it usually keeps in a compact size as that of a notebook. But simply unfold it and then you can get a six-compartment garbage suited for any situations.

Designer: Akarchitectes

Bike inner tubes usually have excellent flexibility and toughness, however we seldom get a chance to reuse them… Until we have these IT Clips.

They can change old inner tubes into a bungee cord or tie down, for you to use in many conditions. Moreover these resulting tie-down straps and cords are also adjustable so that they can change the size to meet your various needs.

More Information Here

Selling Price: $4.49

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On a design show held by Triumph Motorcycles and Birmigham Institute of Art and Design, many students brought us with various smart gadgets made out of recycled motorcycle parts.

Every gadget in the collection has a stylish appearance and you’ll find that it is actually alright and good to build household items with handbrake, headlights, instrument panel and other parts of a motorbike.

This memopad, coming in a cute shape of a simple house, is made from waste wood collected from many places. Compared with conventional memopads, the Memo House also features a sharp point that ensures us a more convenient use.

Designer: Naruse-Inokuma Architects

We can use potatoes to make various dishes, but what about using them to make a rain poncho? The results seem still good. This biodegradable rain poncho here is rightly manufactured with bioplastic derived from over 20 varieties of French potatoes. As a result, it not only protects you users from rain, but also protects the world from pollution. So it is really an eco-friendly design, do you love it too?

Selling Price: 15Euro

Buy it here

If you could have only one piece of jewelry, you’ll never need one made of recycled bottle caps, but if you do have more than one cap in your drawers, you’d better make them into jewelry like these created by Yoav Kotik. Look, they’re really fantastic on your necks and wrists.

Designer: Yoav Kotik

Buy it here

We’ll never suggest you go to a restaurant that is constructed from bamboo for dinner, because no buildings would be much solider and safer than one that is made from concrete. But the Indonesian Bamboo Restaurant is so extraordinary that we would really like you to have a try. Designed by DSA+s, the restaurant is mainly made from bamboo and coupled together with ijuk, which is a rope made from sugar palm fiber. Concrete is also used for  the stair, patio, and house base.

This time we’ll firstly tell you that this is something made of black rubber and then it’s your turn to tell us what the item is used for?

It is in fact a stool, crafter from recycled rubber and comes in a flat knock-down state for the users to assemble by themselves: simply twist off the legs and lock them into place and then you’ll have a new stool!

Designer: Satoshi Itasaka

As we become more and more technologically inclined, the books we read has followed the same trend. But while most others prefer to read online, the London designers Campaign are still keeping their deep love for paper books. Therefore Campaign has designed a cardboard bookshop for the London Festival of Architecture, to celebrate the art form of the printed publication. Named as Foldaway Bookshop, the store is stocked by RIBA Bookshops and sells latest must-have high quality publications and the most coveted architecture classics. Pity that the shop opens just for 13 days and it will be recycled at the end of the Festival.

Designer: Campaign

Welcome to New York, and we’d like to show you a truly amazing architecture — an art studio made from recycled shipping containers. To make sure that the room will have a good lighting, the designer has built the two containers on top of a foundation wall that measures 2.75meters high. Therefore when standing in the interior, you’ll find the two story studio featuring an atmosphere of spaciousness, also with plenty of sunshine. Good news for those who also want such a perfect container building is that you can contact the Mb Architecture here to make an order now.

Designer: Mb Architecture

The Italian designer Alessandro Zambelli has provided another new idea for DIY enthusiasts. He made this colorful cute children’s chair simply using a polyethylene bucket. Do you like it? For details, please visit the site of Alessandro Zambelli.

Made from 100% recycled paper, these pencils, with environment protection as the main concept, aims to enlighten the kids to live harmoniously with the nature.

Selling Price: $9.50 AUD（5 Pencils）

Buy it here

The ‘Clever Little Bag’, a collaborative work between yves behar / fuse project and Puma, was invented as a result of the idea to promote energy efficiency and conservation. The new packaging includes a cardboard sheet and a bag but has no tissue paper, therefore taking up less space and weighing much lighter than usual shoes boxes.

What’s cardboard plus originality? It’s the Cardboard Baggage, which also doubles as a multi-functional rack to keep your shoes, books and other items when reassembled. One would expect it a rigid and fragile container, but the baggage is actually quite elegant and durable. And, the most important thing is that the paper luggage is more eco-friendly than those made from plastic and other materials.

Designer: Chiara Goose

As the cities get crowded and polluted, numerous automakers and designers are trying to tackle the problem of moving people around efficiently while not using materials that are harmful to the environment. And so is the Brazilian designer Ricardo Fedrizzi, who has recently sent in the images of his “Bug” concept mini car. It is a two-seater auto that is designed to go on a charge, making it a zero emission car for the city. Another point worth noting is the recyclable and renewable materials used to make the body of the car, which greatly reduces the vehicle’s weight. Besides, Fedrizzi’s concept also features an aerodynamic shape to maximize its performance. Pity that it is only a concept at present and we may wait for days to see the practical car hit the market. But who cares? Let’s just wait and see.

“Same classic taste, but greener”, with that in mind, Andrew Kim has come up with a new series of packaging designs for Coca Cola, the ‘Eco Coke’. Simply judging by the outside, the futuristic Coca Cola is refreshing, smart, ergonomic, cut, and still classic. But what really makes me excited is it’s made of 100% sugar cane byproducts and completely eco-friendly to the environment. Another thing to be mentioned is that the bottles can collapse 66% smaller than its original size, allowing an easier transportation for later recycling.

Designer: Andrew Kim

“Made of plastic” is not the only characteristic of the Izzy Plastic Urban Bike, a collaborative project between Omer Sagiv and Uri Sadeh. One would expect a fragile vehicle but the bike is actually quite firm to bear the weight of two adults. Best of all, its frame is recyclable, which means that you can have the damaged frame replaced at the store. To top off the cool concept, the bike also incorporates 2 free standing locking systems, three-dimensional illumination, and the integrated rear suspension.

But does the “completely plastic design” also means the bikes could be easily burned to ashes? Hopefully not.

Designer: Omer Sagiv & Uri Sadeh

Charles Seuleusian is quite concerned about the environment and aims to save up energy as possible as he could. His ‘Waste Basket’ is a reusable trash bin made from discarded wooden boards. How to DIY one? Surround a circle base with pieces of wooden boards, put an inflated balloon into the cylinder, fix the mouth with a splint and then done!

Designer: Charles Seuleusian

To do away with those not-so-eco-friendly materials used to manufacture computers, Brenden Macaluso has come up with ‘Recompute’, a sustainable desktop computer with a slick cardboard case. Though looks bit of fragile, it is a fully functioning computer that uses an Intel Core Duo CPU with 2GB RAM, and also has 8 USB ports for you to add external components. But there’s still one problem about the possible ignition, due to its cardboard materials. Well, in fact you needn’t worry about that, because cardboard won’t burn until 258°, and that’s much higher than the 120° at which plastic melts.

Well-known for a sustainable use, Nokia has been widely popular all over the world. And the new product, a green phone that features a recyclable use, would make you love Nokia much more. Every part of the new phone is made from recycled Aluminum; A capacitive sensor is built onto the keyboard to simplify the phone; Electronic ink is adopted to display words so as to save more energy. In addition, the phone also uses silver-zinc batteries rather than the regular lithium batteries, to reduce electronic wastes.

Bamboo is a kind of plant that could adapt to different climates. Generally, it could be harvested every five years, greatly saving the energy input. With the growing shortage of conventional building materials, bamboo is now considered as an ideal replacement of cement and wood. Far more than that, even the bag designers have adopted bamboo as a new material. The ‘Boo Bag’, made of highly sustainable bamboo fabric, is a most popular design during the “Green Life Competition” held in Korea. Not only eco-friendly and energy-saving, the bamboo also doubles a handle for an easy grip when you use the bag.

2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games medals, unveiled recently at Vancouver Olympic village, are claimed to be environment-friendly, super-ellipse medals with undulating surfaces — all firsts in Games history. Except the traditional metallic material, CRT, computer parts, circuit boards and other recycled materials are also used to make these medals, which aims to call for more attention to the ecology business. As the medals are also designed to be “substantial”, they weight between 500 and 576 grams each, among the heaviest medals in Olympic Games history.

Designer: Corrine Hunt & Omer Arbel

The new baby buggy by Hoj Jeong is here to provide more convenience, ensuring an easy use through an adjustable design. It still highlights an environment-friendly technology. Constructed of recyclable materials, such as aluminum and organic fabric, the sustainable stroller is weight-light enough for a portable use.

Designer: Hoj Jeong

Though everyone wants to contribute to the eco-business, most of us really couldn’t find the right way to it. So what should we do now? Probably the compost dustbin will answer you, because it ensures you to promote compost by just sorting garbage into different dustbins. Based on a biodegradable technology, bio-reactive substances in the dustbin will start working to degrade certain trash while leaving out the non-available dust. Isn’t it encouraging that you can recycle waste in such an easy way? Join us right away.

Designer: Julien Bergignat, Cecilia Jia & Johnny Chen

Best publicity needs best billboards, but who needs billboards? To fully recycle the large amounts of billboards, TBWA, an advertising agency for apple, adidas and absolute vodka, has recently launched the two billboard collections. Fashionable, environment-friendly, both the shopping bags and collecting cases are valued as the cleverest commercial products with the smallest amount of waste.

Obviously the design of the gorgeous home decorations that are made of recycled plastic bottles is the best action to the term “recycle”. Lamps, campanulas, chandeliers, etc, a series of dazzling styles have weakened the sharp lines of plastic and ensure the bottle lamps to be exquisite in warm light.

Designer: Lisa Foo & Su Sim

Modern art lighting is popular both indoors and outdoors, which attracts dozens of designers. Recently, a Spanish designer created a LED garden lighting with advanced recyclable materials, which can be adjusted to different colors, directions and areas according to your real need. Whether in the bedroom, the living room, the garden or the courtyard, the “flashing candle light” can always create a perfect atmosphere.

Designer: Tom Allen

This is a brilliant idea. The trash can itself is made from waste paper and so it is eco-friendly. But the attracting point is that this can comes with multiple layer, each of which can be used as garbage bag separately. In other words, in case the bin is full, you can just throw the trash away with the inner layer.

Designer: Riccardo Nannini, Domenico Orefice, Emanuele Pizzolorusso

Close the tap while brushing your teeth is a good habit, otherwise a lot of clean water will be wasted at basin. The recycling bath sink designed by Woo Sunhye can save the clean water under the basin for later use.

There is a hole connecting to the storage under the basin. The hole comes with a lip which can be opened by the water pressure. In other words, the lip will open when the clean water directly flowing down from the tap. When you put your hands under the water, its pressure is dispersed. This will cause the lid to close and the water will flow down the normal drainpipe.

Designer: Woo Sunhye

You wanna a long shower but still afraid of wasting water and energy? Then you gotta like this Quench Shower system.

Video after the break

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Unlike most other constructions, this one from Shigeru Ban is made from paper board. And it is starting to pre-sale of £20,000 – 30,000.

Designer: Shigeru Ban

The sticky design allows you write memo on the back of the notebook. It is a smart idea.

Made from recycled tire, this wastebasket has to soft handle which make it easy-carrying. In addition, the two handles cold also function as clip to hold plastic bag.

There’s another design which could totally hide the plastic bag.

Plug two plastic bottles into the hanger, it gonna be a recyclable gadget. In addition, the wide surface of the bottle could protect clothes from being distorted.

Designer: Xuan Yu

This new crutch must give your more comfortable by its unique design. In addition, it’s made of plastic, rather than wood, and are even recyclable. They would also come with exchangeable parts and optional accessories for pimping out your injury-ware.

This new type of shoe allows you to assemble three parts of it totally depends on yourself. And you can do it based on the mechanical locks instead of adhesives or cements. It’s easy to be recycled.

Designer: Ben Chappell

This is a NASA toilet manufactured by RSC Energia from Russia, whose price is 19 million dollar. It could recycle the dejections of cosmonauts into drinkable water. Oh, my God. You wanna try?