Studio Visit: Martin Björnson

Playful furniture from a Swedish designer at the heart of Malmö's emerging scene

Recently inMalmfor The Conference, we took the time to visit local designer Martin Bjrnsonin his studio workshop. Bjrnson’s Bobbinstool has received a lot of design recognition this year, and we were intrigued to meet the man behind these colorful, oversized cotton reels. Bjrnson has made a name for himself with his playful approach to furniture design. It is no surprise that he named his production …

Restructional Clothing by Ninna Berger

This Stockholm-based designer gives new life to failed and discarded attire

“Why make user-friendly clothes? Because people don’t know how to look after a garment anymore—how to iron properly or fold pieces—which is why they throw stuff away before they need to,” says designer Ninna Berger, one of Stockholm’s most avant-garde designers. The Swedish founder of Restructional Clothing has been getting particularly excited about buying a bolt of 100% ecologically sound new fabric for the first …

Scents and Flavors from Re-Engineered Yeast

Odor-proof underwear, 40 years of Virgin Records and a DIY digital microscope in this week's look at the web

Engineers at Amyris are growing the products used to make exotic scents and flavors—like patchouli, saffron and vanilla—from yeast, and at a very large scale. Makers are saying that the new process could help food and cosmetic companies—and ultimately consumers—by reducing crazy fluctuations in pricing, availability and quality that rise from our current dependence on farming. The switch would also ameliorate the impact of over-harvesting …