1. Gravity Stool
Jólan van der Weil defies gravity with his graduation project, a machine that creates organic structures through magnetism and specially-developed plastic.
2. RxArt
Philanthropic organization RxArt aims to put contemporary pieces on the sterile walls of healthcare facilities. By improving the environment, RxArt hopes to improve moods and help the healing process.
3. Sous Style
Speaking to women in the heretofore largely-ignored phase of “home-making” between college-dorm plastic shelves and pizza and 2.5 kids and a mortgage, this new food and home site launched this week from Elle photo director Pippa Lord, with Cool Hunting’s Kelly O’Reilly lending her managing editor hand. A lineup of global girls-about-town, snapped cooking at home by Lord’s elite stable of photographer pals, presents a refreshing take on domestic bliss without the usual precious undertones. We get the sense these homemakers can hang.
4. Patagonia Ebay
In an effort to encourage reusing clothing to reduce waste, Patagonia has launched an eBay-powered section on their site. The special area has listings of vintage and more modern used Patagonia jackets, pants, shoes and more. With buys for men, women and kids the site has something for everyone and even shows users how to list their own used gear.
5. Small Business Saturday
While Black Friday always promises to be a total consumption fiasco, we can get on board with the American Express-sponsored program to support independent merchants the following day. The credit card giant has leveraged various social media channels to get millions on board to shop small and bolster the economy in the process.
6. Maharam Agenda
Maharam, the century-old leader in textile design and production, is releasing a collection of the company’s history. Available 7 November, the collection is Michael Maharam’s tribute to the four generations that ran the company before him.
7. Baggu Leather
The beloved eco-friendly bag maker Baggu recently turned their functional nylon carryall into a leather version, which they peddle online along with a well-crafted range of leather pouches.
8. Learning Thermostat
This week Nest Labs released a much-awaited new product. The Learning Thermostat is a smart household utility that learns user behaviors and automatically creates custom heating and cooling schedules. One of the first big jumps in outdated thermostat technology, the Learning Thermostat promises to improve at home and in office lifestyle while exhibiting a beautiful design.