Tag Archives: fabric

Bathtope lets you set up a removable bathtub in your bathroom

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One of my favorite parts about hotel stays is if there is a bathtub. I put in my favorite soaks and just while my worries away if only for a few minutes and if only for a day. My bathroom in my apartment does not have a space for it of course, so it is a luxury I can afford on staycations. It would be nice to have a removable bathtub that I can use every once in a while of course.

Designer: LIXIL Corporation

To celebrate their 100th anniversary, Japanese plumbing and tile company LIXIL Corporation is launching Bathtope, a bathroom space with a removable bathtub. Basically it’s a fabric that you can fill up with hot or cold (or lukewarm) water and it will serve as your bathtub. When you’re done using it, you can fold it up and hang it and that space becomes your shower area.

Bathtope is made from a single sheet of fabric and the design is inspired by both kimono and origami. They used just one cut to lessen the possibility of water leaks. To set up the fabric baththub, you need to attach hooks on the walls with which to suspend the cloth from. It is able to adjust its zie and form to the space that you decide to set it up in.

Thus unique bathroom space will be available for consumers by November this year but it will be on display at DesignArt Tokyo 2024 this month. Even though I still don’t have space in my current bathroom, it’s an interesting option for those who want to have their own bathtub without going through the hassles of installing one.

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Japanese-inspired furniture line is made from recyclable, colorful fabric

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There are pieces of furniture that serve their purpose in your living space even if they’re not always that well-designed. Then there are those that you don’t really understand what they’re for but they’re just so pretty or fits into your aesthetic that you just know you need to have them. Of course if those pieces are also sustainable and eco-friendly, that’s a great bonus. Well, it would also be great if they can actually do what they’re supposed to do while looking pretty and saving the earth.

Designer: Nendo for Paola Lenti

Italian furniture brand Paola Lenti unveiled their collaboration with Japanese design firm Nendo at the Milan Design Week. The Hanara-shi series of furnishings and complements look like art pieces at first glance. Their shapes and designs are inspired by Japanese culture of course, specifically the cherry trees that are starting to be in full bloom in Japan right now. There’s also some inspiration from ancient samurai armours if you look closely at the fabrics and patterns.

While their colors are really attractive and eye-catching, I couldn’t figure out at first what they were supposed to be. But upon closer inspection (of the photos and the website), there are suspended lamps, baskets, floor lamps, armchairs, and poufs/ottomans included in the collection. The fabric used is Maris mesh which is recyclable and made from 100% polypropylene waterproof material. Unlike other furniture which starts from the design, this one started from showing the fabric that they will be designing and that’s when the ideas started to flow.

Since the material is rigid, marbled in colour but textured, flexible, and malleable, they were able to fold and wrap them on themselves to create this line of products. There are of course welded elements to put them all together but the main star of this Hanara-shi series is definitely the fabric and how they designed it to create these pieces of furniture. The upholstery and inlays used are also recovered cutoffs from previous processes so you can say that not only are they beautiful but they’re also friendly to the earth.

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Martin Liberty table lamps bring stunning beauty and luxury with intricate floral fabrics

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Lamps do more than just bring light into a space, especially if they are always in your view. They can make or break the ambiance of your room just by how they look, whether they match the rest of your interior or stand out like a sore thumb. And then there are designs that call attention to themselves on their own, raising the atmosphere of your living area to new heights. Nothing does that better than a lamp specifically made with luxurious materials and intricate details, just like these eye-catching table lamps that add a touch of class in any space with shades that put a small canopy of flowers over soft, warm lights.

Designer: Inga Sempe (HAY x Liberty)

These beautiful table lamps combine two designs that have already stood the test of time and design trends. The Matin Lamp is a contemporary interpretation of a common lighting fixture, utilizing a steel wire frame to condense the form to its most basic. At the same time, however, its unique pleated lampshade gives it a distinctive character to the product, creating a play of shapes and shadows that contrast with its plain block of color.

The Matin Liberty rendition of the table lamp, however, swaps out those uniform hues with highly detailed patterns that have become a signature of the luxury department store’s fabrics. The fabrics give off a harmonious contrast of order and chaos with repeating patterns that were seemingly formed from a spray of flowers, petals, and leaves. It’s a mesmerizing visual that has made Liberty a luxury icon when it comes to fabrics, which is being applied to these already luxurious lamps in an interesting way.

Combining the pleated form of the original Matin Lamp lampshade with the cotton fabrics of Liberty creates this unique visual experience that easily draws your attention to it but doesn’t become overbearing or tiring. It even shapes the lamp’s light in a different way, depending on the hue of the floral patterns. Lighter colors further diffuse the soft light coming from the LED bulb, while darker shades focus the light downward like a directional lamp. This makes each lamp deliver a different experience, whether through its visual pattern or lighting effect.

The Matin Liberty Table Lamp brings a fusion of elegance and fashion wherever they’re set up. It can act either as a statement piece on its own or as a complement to floral patterns on your wall or upholstery. It definitely gives a different vibe from other lamps, even luxurious ones, that is sure to make you the talk and envy of your social circles.

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Denim-covered furniture and gym equipment are a striking nod to the iconic material

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It may now be a common sight on jeans, jackets, and even some bags, but there was a point in history when denim was considered revolutionary and cool. It has been and still is plastered on billboards and advertisements for casual wear, but denim was once a symbol of the American dream. From miners to cowboys to blue-collar workers, denim jeans have been worn by people from all walks of life, striving to make a living and establish a home for their families. The way we live today is drastically different from those times, yet denim remains a staple of clothing, and this almost eccentric collection of homeware and other projects pay tribute to the material in a way that reflects how much has changed over the decades.

Designer: Harry Nuriev

As a material, denim is known for its rugged looks and properties that have made it favorable in certain rough conditions. Of course, denim clothing today has more or less become a staple of casual wear all over the world, but for a very long time, it has been a classic American symbol that was associated with workers and the middle class. Times have changed, and so have the way we live and work, and these denim-clad products convey that fact in an interesting new way.

The pieces are already unique and distinctive on their own. After all, who would have dreamed up gym equipment covered in this blue fabric? A relatively soft DJ booth is also a bit ironic when you think about it, and a denim wall paneling almost makes you want to run into it for fun. Other objects are a bit more understandable, like tables and chairs that give off a sense of comfort even just by looking at them.

The collection, however, seems to also make a statement about the modern lifestyle, especially where “home” has become as much a place of activity as it is of rest. The denim pool bed set, for example, seems to embrace anything and everything that you do at home, whether it’s sleeping, eating, working, or connecting with family and friends. It is the extreme manifestation of our hybrid work life after the COVID-19 pandemic, where borders and divisions are torn down, for better or for worse.

Denim today has become a part of both everyday wear as well as the haute-couture world, but it also once symbolized the American dream. It has left an indelible mark on human culture, and this odd yet beautiful selection of furniture and products for the home honors that history while also emphasizing how much denim is part of everyday life, at home, at work, and work-from-home.

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This wooden and polycarbonate shed in New Zealand glows in the dark

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Architecture studio Fabric designed a shed in Akaroa, New Zealand. Called, the Nightlight, the shed is wrapped with sleek timber slats that are inspired by the surrounding treeline. The 10 square meter shed is nestled in a clearing and is surrounded by kãnuka trees. The interesting feature of the shed is that it transforms into a light sculpture at night!

Designer: Fabric

The compact shed is part of a plan to transform the whole site into a home. The shed was designed to store items for the house which would be built in the future, while also serving as a glowing structure that can be viewed from the outdoor lounge spaces. The shed features a mono-pitched form which is translucent in nature and is made from polycarbonate. The shed has been elevated from the sloping ground with the help of concrete piles.

“Rather than locating this building out of sight like a typical shed or using it only for its services, Nightlight has been reimagined as a light sculpture that will proudly be seen from the future outdoor living space. The filtered light seen glowing between the slats at night is a contrasting aesthetic to the minimalist facade seen throughout the day,” said Fabric.

When illuminated from within, the light from the interiors of the shed radiates through the empty space in between the sleek timber slats, which subtly surrounds the exterior of the structure. The shed has a rather minimal footprint, and it was designed to be used as a workspace, outdoor kitchen, small bathroom, and storage area. The structure has been outfitted with both a toilet and a workbench. An external shower and sink have been added as well. The sleek timber slats were slathered with laminated veneer lumber (LVL) to make them stiff and sturdy, this ensured that fewer number of slats were required for the construction of the shed.

“All battens and slats were carefully lined up with the internal structure and used sparingly to allow a uniform pattern of glow at night. This critical geometry and alignment was a constant challenge throughout the build,” concluded Fabric. The timber planks were silvered in an attempt to resemble the surrounding kãnuka trees. The locally sourced macrocarpa wood used to build the external decking was silvered as well. Subtle muted green accents were added to the structure to help it further blend in with its surroundings.

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Casamera blanket and slippers embrace you with comfort all year round

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Blankets are pretty much the universal metaphor for comfort and security, which is why it’s often used as a prop for people, especially kids, to hide under when they’re scared. Adults might not want to admit it, but they’re also just as dependent on blankets for both physiological and psychological reasons. Many would wrap themselves up in a blanket while binging videos on a cold night, while others can’t even sleep without a blanket covering their bodies. Unfortunately, the comfort of blankets often drops when the temperature rises, particularly because they aren’t meant to be used during warm days and nights. Not unless they’re made with an innovative fabric like Casamera’s cozy blanket that will tempt you to never leave the confines of your bed, day or night, all year round.

Designers: Omar Bugaighis & Suliman Elrayes

Click Here to Buy Now: The Homebody Kit for $120 $240 (51% off). Hurry, less than 48 hours left!

Build your anywhere, everywhere bed.

There is quite a variety of blankets made using different materials, but most of them fall in one of two extremes. On the one hand, there are light and durable microfiber blankets that are unfortunately also too thin and can get very warm. On the other hand, there are weighted blankets that give a bit more fluffy comfort but are also hot and hard to carry around, especially when traveling. Neither type is designed to be usable in hot weather and is most often made in ways that are harmful to the environment.

Casamera’s One Blanket challenges the status quo with a unique material that is comfortable and usable no matter the season or time of day. An open waffle-weave fabric produces a blanket that is breathable and thermoregulating so that it won’t add too much warmth on an already warm day or night. The fabric is also soft, plush, bouncy, and perfectly weighted, delivering that familiar feeling of security and comfort from your favorite blankets of ages past.

These desirable properties make the Blanket perfect for any situation anywhere, whether you’re sleeping comfortably in bed or cuddling with your partner on the couch. It’s so lightweight and durable that you easily roll or fold it up to bring with you wherever you go so that you’re never really far from it. It will be your new best friend and cuddle partner that you can take with you anywhere to help improve your sleep and lift up your mood.

To round up the perfect self-care package, Casamera also has The Slippers to hug your feet with the same level of comfort that the rest of your body gets. In addition to the same breathable open waffle-weave fabric, the slippers’ suede soles give you a soft but tasty bounce with each step you take. It might even coax you off your bed and walk around the house to enjoy that cozy feeling.

The cherry on top is that The Blanket and The Slippers aren’t just good for humans but also good for the planet. Made from eco-friendly materials and with sustainable processes, these comfort accessories are designed to last a very long time to help prevent waste. For just $90 for a super comfy One Blanket and $30 for cozy Slippers, you can enjoy that warm, fuzzy feeling every day of the year while also enjoying the knowledge that you’ll be helping get more trees planted as well.

Click Here to Buy Now: The Homebody Kit for $120 $240 (51% off). Hurry, less than 48 hours left!

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This zero-waste laptop bag tries to make up for your laptop’s environmental sins

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Our civilization now relies heavily on all sorts of computers, but these products are sadly also killing of our planet in the process. From their production to their daily use to their disposal, desktops and laptops contribute to the sad state of our planet. Even worse, we tend to buy accessories for these devices that themselves create more problems for our environment. Fortunately, designers and brands have started to become more conscious of how even small things like accessory can pile up to become a sustainability disaster and are taking steps to minimize their negative impact on the environment. This laptop case, for example, is made from leftover fabric to become something fashionable that also shows a bit of university spirit, too.

Designer: Shelly Xu Design (SXD) x Harvard Innovation Labs

It’s easy to take for granted how clothes can be harmful to the environment because they seem biodegradable enough. While some textile and dyes aren’t exactly sustainable, those aren’t the only environmental problems they cause. The fashion industry alone is responsible for million tons of textile waste every year for leftover scraps and wasted fabric. This waste that would have otherwise piled up on landfills are the very source materials that Shelly Xu Design (SXD) uses to create masterpieces that make a statement in more ways than one.

It’s that kind of boldness that SXD is bringing to an industry outside fashion, with a laptop case that similarly uses those wasted fabric to produce something that will keep your laptop safe and snug while you go about your business in school or in the office. The main bag is made from white neoprene taken from scuba diving sets while the red handle and pockets are source from leftover polo shirt materials. The entire bag is made waterproof using ecorepel which biomimics how waterfowl feathers are able to repel water, hence the name.

This zero-waste “ILab Bag” is simple yet fashionable while also being functional. The bag is reversible, so you can choose between a plain white appearance or accented red. The red cloth parts also function as pockets and handles, going beyond mere embellishments. And when the laptop bag is fully unfolded, that side forms a red “H” on white, a nod to Harvard’s name and colors.

The SXD zero-waste laptop case might not be extraordinary in terms of form and function, but that isn’t its primary objective anyway. Instead, it tries to serve as an inspiration and model for how recycled waste materials can be transformed into high-quality, beautiful products. If more companies start producing swag these way, it could eventually lead to a transformation of an industry that often doesn’t give a second thought to its long-term effects on the only planet that we have.

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This waffle-textured bathrobe is lightweight, breathable, quick-drying, and ridiculously comfortable

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Lounging around in your bathrobe sounds great in theory, but is quite the opposite in reality. You’d think a bathrobe would be comfortable to spend your entire day in, but that isn’t quite the case. Terrycloth, the fuzzy fabric used to make towels and bathrobes, has the notorious ability to become bulky when wet and will end up smelling musty or funky after a few hours. Meet the K25 bathrobe, a novel post-bath lounging garment designed to be lightweight, absorbent, quick-drying, and odor-resistant!

Designer: K-25 Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $200 (61% off). Hurry, only 2/300 left!

We here at Yanko Design are pretty vocal fans of the ‘waffle’. No, not the pancake’s geometric sibling, the texture often found on modern-day towels. Unlike the fuzzy terrycloth, the woven waffle texture offers a distinct set of advantages. Terrycloth is heavy, takes time to dry, and as a result, provides ample space for bacteria to hide and develop. Waffle fabric, on the other hand, has no such problem. The unique square texture increases the fabric’s surface area, making it more absorbent. This means a thinner piece of waffle fabric is as absorbent as a significantly thicker piece of terry cloth. Thinner fabric means it dries faster too, and leaves you feeling comfortable without that familiar-yet-avoidable musty dampness. Now imagine an entire bathrobe made from this waffle-fabric.

Sustainably Made – Made from 100% natural combed cotton. They are OEKO-Tex 100 certified, meaning tested to be free from harmful levels of chemicals.

Designed to uplift the humble, comfortable bathrobe, the K-25 comes with a design that’s lightweight, absorbent, quick-drying, anti-microbial, and most importantly, snug enough to spend an entire day in. It comes made from 100% natural combed cotton, is breathable, has a hoodie (to dry your hair too), and perhaps my favorite feature ever – comes with two well-sized pockets for carrying your phone, tablet, or other belongings around.

Waffle Weave Design

Available in 3 colors that go wonderfully with most moods and home decor, the K-25 is simply the best alternative to pajamas. It’s comfortable, breathable, and can be worn directly after a bath. The bathrobe comes in 3 sizes, and can be further accompanied by matching waffle-fabric slippers, bath towels, or even a bath mat!

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $200 (61% off). Hurry, only 2/300 left!

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K-25 Bathrobe upgrades the bathroom experience with a novel stress-relieving design

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Different people have different ways to relieve stress or fatigue, but one of the most common methods is taking a shower or soaking in a tub. The activity is almost symbolic, like washing away the problems of life, even if only temporarily. But while the cleansing process itself might be soothing, what happens before or after can have a significant impact on the experience. Rough towels and uncomfortable bathrobes can irritate the skin and break the magic of the shower experience. Fortunately, there are creative minds that are taking a stab at fixing that problem, and this new bathrobe offers an elevated experience that will remove your stress even before you step into the shower.

Designer: K-25 Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $200 (61% off). Hurry, only 2/250 left!

It’s only too easy to take bathroom accessories for granted, especially towels and bathrobes that are so common that we don’t even give them a second thought. We spend a lot of money on soothing soaps and expensive shower heads, only to burden our skins and our bodies with low-quality bathrobes. Granted, there are luxurious towels and bathrobes available, but the fluffy ones also tend to be heavy, thick, and take too long to dry.

Sustainably Made – Made from 100% natural combed cotton. They are OEKO-Tex 100 certified, meaning tested to be free from harmful levels of chemicals.

This can end up ruining the relaxing bath or soak that you just had, especially when the bathrobe starts to stink due to prolonged dampness. Over time, the material also starts to fray and break apart, causing further discomfort and mental stress at the thought of having to buy a new bathrobe yet again. The K-25 bathrobe wants to be the only bathrobe you’ll ever want, and it does this using a design that could make you craving for waffles.

Waffle Weave Design

Rather than the typical weaves you’d see on bathrobes, the K-25 uses what it calls a waffle weave that really does look like the breakfast favorite. More than just being an unconventional design, the weave allows air to flow better, which means that the material is more breathable and dries more quickly. Thanks to this, the bathrobe can be thinner and more lightweight while still offering the same benefits as thicker cotton robes when it comes to water absorption.

The K-25 bathrobe is also innovative in the kind of cotton it uses. Instead of the typical carded, open-end cotton yarn, the K-25 uses combed, ring-spun cotton that prevents fraying and lets it retain its form far longer. The fabric is also guaranteed to be safe and sustainable, avoiding the use of harmful levels of chemicals that hurt the environment in the long run. It also has natural antibacterial properties so that you don’t have to stress over your own health.

The K-25 Bathrobe is designed to alleviate the stresses of modern times. It even has a spacious pocket so that you can conveniently carry a phone or a book with you. Available in three sizes, including a plus size, and for only $79, you can get your hands and your body on a bathrobe that can help preserve your peace of mind long after you’ve stepped out of the shower. You can even get a hold of a matching bath mat, slippers, and towels as add-ons, completing the stress-relieving shower experience you need and deserve.

Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $200 (61% off). Hurry, only 2/250 left!

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This metal side table depicts a piece of falling fabric frozen in time

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There seems to be a widespread misconception that designer or artful products are all less functional than more “normal” products. It’s almost as if beauty and function are diametrically opposed and can’t be found in the same thing. That couldn’t be farther from the truth, and we’ve seen our fair share of well-designed products that exude high aesthetic value while also delivering unparalleled features. Of course, we’ve also seen products that are almost pure in their simplicity yet striking in appearance and usefulness. In some cases, it doesn’t take much to have all those properties in one, like this side table that looks like a modern sculpture that captures the gentle curves and surfaces a tablecloth in the middle of falling into place.

Designer: Dezin Aktay

Some people put use large pieces of fabric to cover a table and accentuate a room. Others prefer the pristine appearance of the piece of furniture, especially if it’s made with luxurious materials or has fine finishing. In a sense, this side table concept design doesn’t need a tablecloth but also has one at the same time. That’s because the tablecloth is the table as well, formed from what looks like a single piece of metal molded into a piece of sculptural art.

Tables are meant to be stable to be useful, but the Tablecloth side table seems to provoke contrasting images of stability and fluidity. While most tables have four legs to have a symmetrical balance, the Tablecloth only has three. Its metallic surface gives it a rigid appearance, but its curved edges almost give the illusion of movement. Even the shape of the legs, which taper sharply to the feet, are ones you’d associate with dynamism or even imbalance.

As the name clearly states, the table is shaped like a tablecloth, but one that seems to still be in motion rather than at rest. Absent are the typical folds you’d see on a piece of fabric hanging over an edge after already settling down. What you have instead are the waves and undulating surfaces of a piece of cloth that’s gently falling to the ground. Only one of the table’s thee edges curves completely down while the other two seem to be frozen mid-air, reinforcing that imagery.

If there’s one question that this design leaves open is whether it’s actually stable enough to be used reliably as an actual side table. The pointed feet might not inspire much confidence in stability, but it’s not something that couldn’t be fixed with wider and flatter forms as well as some slip-resistant material. The small space on top also limits how much you can put on the side table, but it remains functional as a place for temporary possessions like books or drinking glasses, as well as for something more permanent like a vase that would complement the table’s material and form.

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