With the incandescent light bulb set to be phased out across Europe, the Israeli industrial design collective d-Vision was charged with turning out some innovative applications of the LED. This tiny LED lamp is "powered by an electrochemical reaction of copper and zinc electrodes fitted into tomatoes." The result isn't exactly a space-saving solution, and we'd venture a guess that once the tomatoes begin to spoil this wouldn't be a pleasant addition to a household. The tomato light was part of an exhibition at the Milan Furniture Fair 2010 dubbed "On/Off," which also included LED lamps made out of soap and a straw-powered standing lamp.
? At this years Milan furniture fair, much of the focus was on sustainable and recycled materials and this arm chair from Ruben Iglesias is the pick of the litter. Created from braided ribbons of recycled paper and framed with a wooden pallet, the seat is filled with crumpled, balled-up newspaper. Iglesias has also created a side table out of circulars found in his mailbox and an ottoman.
? Ruben Iglesias isn't the only one making seats out of paper. Jovana Chris Lei produced this molded and pressed paper chair with distinct Eames influences, adding layers of paper until it was structurally sound. The design was based on a 2,000-year-old tradition of making umbrellas using a similar process.
? For those who prefer wood to wood pulp products, this modular furnishing serves a variety of purposes. The WoodU, designed by Italian Alex Nalesso of Skalo Design, could serve alone as a stool or magazine rack, or in combination to form bookcases and sideboards or table legs or whatever you could imagine.
? Perhaps more eco-inspired than eco-friendly, the Nectar series of lamps by Rebecca Asquith take the honeycomb's form and translucence, but they're made from polyester fibre and steel. There's no denying that they're pretty good looking and quite odd at the same time.
· Milan Furniture Fair 2010 [Treehugger]
· Sofa Away [Sustainable Guernsey]
· Paper Chairs [Think Design]
· Best Green Designs from isaloni 2011 [Nirmada]
· Nectar [Rebecca Asquith]