Good Thinking

Victorinox raises awareness of sustainable design and innovation

Victorinox raises awareness of sustainable design and innovation
The SafetyNet, one of the finalists in Swiss Army Victorinox's 'Time to Care' competition (Credit: Dan Watson)
The SafetyNet, one of the finalists in Swiss Army Victorinox's 'Time to Care' competition (Credit: Dan Watson)
View 21 Images
The Easy Pod Washer is based on an ancient Chinese laundry trick of traditional soap 'pods'(Credit: Yingying Zhou, Shijiao Li, Sicheng Wang)
1/21
The Easy Pod Washer is based on an ancient Chinese laundry trick of traditional soap 'pods'(Credit: Yingying Zhou, Shijiao Li, Sicheng Wang)
The Easy Pod Washer uses a natural locust soap wrapped in biodegradable paper (Credit: Yingying Zhou, Shijiao Li, Sicheng Wang)
2/21
The Easy Pod Washer uses a natural locust soap wrapped in biodegradable paper (Credit: Yingying Zhou, Shijiao Li, Sicheng Wang)
The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
3/21
The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
4/21
The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
5/21
The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
The ejewelry project salvages precious metals contained in electronic waste and converts the leftovers into wearable ornaments (Credit: Jennifer Jeng, Yahayra Rosario Cora)
6/21
The ejewelry project salvages precious metals contained in electronic waste and converts the leftovers into wearable ornaments (Credit: Jennifer Jeng, Yahayra Rosario Cora)
The ejewelry project salvages precious metals contained in electronic waste and converts the leftovers into wearable ornaments (Credit: Jennifer Jeng, Yahayra Rosario Cora)
7/21
The ejewelry project salvages precious metals contained in electronic waste and converts the leftovers into wearable ornaments (Credit: Jennifer Jeng, Yahayra Rosario Cora)
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
8/21
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
9/21
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
10/21
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
The SafetyNet, one of the finalists in Swiss Army Victorinox's 'Time to Care' competition (Credit: Dan Watson)
11/21
The SafetyNet, one of the finalists in Swiss Army Victorinox's 'Time to Care' competition (Credit: Dan Watson)
In the Waterless Toilet, solid waste and liquid waste are separated by means of a foot-operated pump (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
12/21
In the Waterless Toilet, solid waste and liquid waste are separated by means of a foot-operated pump (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
In the Waterless Toilet, liquid wastes go down the drain as the treatment of greywater is much simpler and safer (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
13/21
In the Waterless Toilet, liquid wastes go down the drain as the treatment of greywater is much simpler and safer (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
The Waterless Toilet aims to eliminate the use of water, and turn waste into pathogen-free organic compost (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
14/21
The Waterless Toilet aims to eliminate the use of water, and turn waste into pathogen-free organic compost (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
In the Waterless Toilet, solid wastes are dehydrated by adding a drying mixture of earth-lime that converts it to a pathogen-free organic compost (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
15/21
In the Waterless Toilet, solid wastes are dehydrated by adding a drying mixture of earth-lime that converts it to a pathogen-free organic compost (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
The Waterless Toilet was designed for all kinds of housing, as well as areas with no access to drainage, whilst making sure it is still perceived as a normal toilet (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
16/21
The Waterless Toilet was designed for all kinds of housing, as well as areas with no access to drainage, whilst making sure it is still perceived as a normal toilet (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
The Sea Chair Project addresses the growing problem of accumulating marine litter, by converting waste plastics into new chairs (Credit: Kieran Jones, Azusa Murakami, Alexander Groves)
17/21
The Sea Chair Project addresses the growing problem of accumulating marine litter, by converting waste plastics into new chairs (Credit: Kieran Jones, Azusa Murakami, Alexander Groves)
The Sea Chair Project addresses the growing problem of accumulating marine litter, by converting waste plastics into new chairs (Credit: Kieran Jones, Azusa Murakami, Alexander Groves)
18/21
The Sea Chair Project addresses the growing problem of accumulating marine litter, by converting waste plastics into new chairs (Credit: Kieran Jones, Azusa Murakami, Alexander Groves)
The Leaf is a low-maintenance water source that uses solar power to produce 20 liters of drinkable water a day (Credit: Anurag Sarda)
19/21
The Leaf is a low-maintenance water source that uses solar power to produce 20 liters of drinkable water a day (Credit: Anurag Sarda)
The Leaf is a low-maintenance water source that uses solar power to produce 20 liters of drinkable water a day (Credit: Anurag Sarda)
20/21
The Leaf is a low-maintenance water source that uses solar power to produce 20 liters of drinkable water a day (Credit: Anurag Sarda)
The SafetyNet, one of the finalists in Swiss Army Victorinox's 'Time to Care' competition (Credit: Dan Watson)
21/21
The SafetyNet, one of the finalists in Swiss Army Victorinox's 'Time to Care' competition (Credit: Dan Watson)
View gallery - 21 images

Victorinox has opened a public online vote to choose the best sustainable design submission to its "Time to Care" competition. The call for entries has been open since January 2011, and the seven best were chosen by jury in May. Throughout June, July, and August, the top seven designs are open to a public vote. The ultimate winner will be awarded prize money at a ceremony in October, and work with Victorinox to bring the design project to fruition.

The year-long project was conceived to foster awareness of sustainable design and innovation. It is delivered in two main parts; a sustainable design competition allowing a platform for young designers, and a traveling photography exhibition looking at leaders in sustainable design. The seven worldwide finalists include:

  • the Easy Pod Washer; a snap-off natural soap wrapped in biodegradable paper that can be used for laundry instead of chemical washing powders that cause pollution, from the College of Design & Innovation Tongji University, China
  • The Easy Pod Washer uses a natural locust soap wrapped in biodegradable paper (Credit: Yingying Zhou, Shijiao Li, Sicheng Wang)
    The Easy Pod Washer uses a natural locust soap wrapped in biodegradable paper (Credit: Yingying Zhou, Shijiao Li, Sicheng Wang)

  • E-jewelry; jewelery made from reclaimed precious metals from electronic waste, aimed at sending less toxic waste to the landfill, from Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, USA
  • The ejewelry project salvages precious metals contained in electronic waste and converts the leftovers into wearable ornaments (Credit: Jennifer Jeng, Yahayra Rosario Cora)
    The ejewelry project salvages precious metals contained in electronic waste and converts the leftovers into wearable ornaments (Credit: Jennifer Jeng, Yahayra Rosario Cora)

  • the Sea Chair project; a machine fitted to a trawler that collects marine litter to manufacture chairs, from London's Royal College of Art
  • The Sea Chair Project addresses the growing problem of accumulating marine litter, by converting waste plastics into new chairs (Credit: Kieran Jones, Azusa Murakami, Alexander Groves)
    The Sea Chair Project addresses the growing problem of accumulating marine litter, by converting waste plastics into new chairs (Credit: Kieran Jones, Azusa Murakami, Alexander Groves)

  • Leaf; an 18 foot (5.5 m) tall leaf-like structure that collects condensation from the air via a solar-cooled surface, to produce 20 liters (5.28 gallons) of potable water per day, from Maeer's Mit Institute Of Design in India
  • The Leaf is a low-maintenance water source that uses solar power to produce 20 liters of drinkable water a day (Credit: Anurag Sarda)
    The Leaf is a low-maintenance water source that uses solar power to produce 20 liters of drinkable water a day (Credit: Anurag Sarda)

  • the Waterless Toilet, which separates solid and liquid waste and converts it into organic compost, from the CIDI UNAM in Mexico
  • In the Waterless Toilet, liquid wastes go down the drain as the treatment of greywater is much simpler and safer (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)
    In the Waterless Toilet, liquid wastes go down the drain as the treatment of greywater is much simpler and safer (Credit: Oscar Gonzalez Munoz, Cristian Corcuera Coutino)

  • the Fortué sustainable stove, which negates the need for wasteful and polluting solid fuel with the use of a methane digester-created biofuel, from University of Technology Sydney
  • The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)
    The Fortue Sustainable Fuel Stove aims to reduce health risks from cooking fuels in developing communities around the world (Credit: Sabina Popin)

  • the SafetyNet, a selective trawler fishing net that reduces by-catch via escape rings designed to release juvenile and non-target fish, from London's Royal College of Art
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)
The 'SafetyNet' incorporates escape rings into trawler nets, giving juvenile and endangered fish a second chance (Credit: Dan Watson)

The jury is made up of innovators and designers from around the world, whose work also formed the subject matter for the Swiss Army Victorinox exhibition stand at the world jewelery and watch exhibition, Baselworld 2011. The photos and videos of their contributions to sustainable design are now traveling the world as a photography exhibition.

The pocketknife manufacturer Victorinox claims to have a long history of environmental responsibility. Product materials are reportedly heavy metal-free, products are fully-recyclable, and the company's office buildings run independent of crude oil.

Other recent awards that also aim to inspire innovation include the Google Science Fair, and the $300House project to house the world's poor.

View gallery - 21 images
No comments
0 comments
There are no comments. Be the first!