Good news at the end of the year: Whether it's fashion, food or interior design - creative solutions are emerging in all areas of life that are not only environmentally friendly, but also score points with their aesthetics and functionality. They inspire us to rethink our own lifestyle and make more conscious decisions. We have put together ten sustainable innovations in December that will help make our world more ecological step by step. These examples show how diverse the ideas for a greener future are.
- ANIMAL PROTECTION
Honoring an Eco-Pioneer
None other than fashion designer Stella McCartney was named PETA's Person of the Year 2024. This award recognizes her tireless commitment to animal-friendly and sustainable fashion, as well as her call to other designers to ban products containing leather or feathers from their collections. Her approach to creating luxurious and sustainable vegan clothing has made her a role model in the industry. Stella McCartney's activism goes beyond her own collections. After all, she recently joined PETA's "Feather-Free Pledge" campaign, which calls on designers and retailers not to work with feathers. Her commitment shows that style and Animal welfare can go hand in hand. Stella McCartney demonstrates that fashion can be not only beautiful, but also ethical and sustainable, inspiring both consumers and other designers to make more conscious choices.
Source & Copyright by Stella McCartney
- FOOD
Green Food in Amsterdam
There is also sustainable news from Holland in December. The eco-pop-up restaurant The Greanery recently opened its doors in Amsterdam. The concept goes far beyond classic gastronomy. Finally, through the use of 360-degree video mapping, the space is transformed into a green oasis, which is further enlivened by live background music and performances by various artists. A core aspect of the concept is the "Zero Waste Policy". The restaurant operates entirely with batteries and green energy generated in Amsterdam without causing additional CO2 emissions. In order to achieve the goal of "zero waste", the makers have also developed sophisticated raw material and logistics plans. In addition, The Greanery works exclusively with local products within a maximum radius of 30 km. This also creates the lowest possible emissions in the supply chain.
Source & Copyright by The Greanery
- FASHION
Brilliant Innovation
Swarovski brings sustainability to the crystal industry. As sustainable news, the Austrian company announced in December the introduction of ReCreated Crystals. The gemstones are made from material residues of regular crystal production, which would normally end up as waste. Using a special process, these leftovers are melted down and transformed into new, evenly colored crystals. What's special about them: The quality of these recycled crystals is in no way inferior to that of the original product. Compared to conventional crystal production, Swarovski uses at least 40% fewer natural resources to produce ReCreated Crystals. This leads to an improvement in the environmental balance of at least 34%. The sustainable crystals already adorn popular jewelry lines such as Sublima or the iconic Millenia collection. This makes the brand a shining example of environmentally friendly change in the jewelry industry.
Source & Copyright by Swarovski
- INTERIOR
Sustainable news in December for design fans
The traditional brand Thonet is known for its classic, high-quality Or in other words: furnitureThe brand's iconic coffee house chair model 214 has now been awarded the special prize "Timeless Design" from the Federal Ecodesign Prize. The prize recognizes not only the design but also the sustainable production and durability of the chair. After all, the history of the model 214 goes back to the 1850s, when Michael Thonet perfected the technique of bending wood. This innovation made it possible to mass produce furniture for the first time and revolutionized the industry. The chair became the symbol of this revolution and is still considered one of the most successful industrial products in the world. Particularly noteworthy is the resource efficiency of the design. Even then, 36 disassembled chairs were packed in a transport box with a volume of just one cubic meter and shipped all over the world. This efficiency in production and logistics makes the chair a pioneer of sustainable design.
Source & Copyright by Thonet
- FOOD
Sustainable Chocolate
The Copenhagen-based start-up Endless Food Co has caused a stir in the industry with its latest financing round of 1 million euros. Food industry The company has set itself the task of revolutionising chocolate production with a sustainable alternative. The focus is on THIC (This Isn't Chocolate), a chocolate alternative made from spent grain, a by-product of beer brewing. This creates a delicious, sustainable and cost-effective substitute for traditional chocolate. And it is urgently needed! After all, high emissions are recorded along the global supply chains, deforestation, loss of Biodiversity and exploitation of workers are just some of the challenges facing the industry. THIC offers a promising solution. According to a recent life cycle analysis, the product has up to 80-90% lower carbon emissions than conventional chocolate - with the same taste and texture.
Source & Copyright by Endless Food Co
- BEAUTY
Sustainability is so beautiful
Also from the Berlin fire und Gretel There is sustainable news in December. As a pioneer of ecological cosmetics industry, the brand now presents its latest innovation: the refillable Face palettes. These offer beauty fans the opportunity to easily swap out their favorite colors and combine them again and again. This not only reduces waste, but also allows consumers to adapt the makeup palette to their own preferences and changing needs. And Gretel offers the palette in four individual color combinations. Each of these combinations has been carefully put together from the brand's community favorites and offers a harmonious mix of powdery and creamy textures as well as matte and shimmering finishes. The colors in the palettes are highly pigmented and consist of plant-based ingredients. They contain valuable components such as argan oil, rice powder and vitamin E, which not only ensure a flawless finish, but also have nourishing benefits.
Source & Copyright by Und Gretel
- FASHION
Cruelty Free Collection
The vegan luxury label Giulia & Romeo is considered a pioneer of ethical fashion. Under the motto "Luxury beyond Animal Cruelty", the brand has now launched its first capsule collection for 2025. With this, the company proves once again that luxury and animal welfare can go hand in hand. The new collection combines glamorous designs with urban casualness. Inspired by the festive season, the line focuses on glittering details, innovative materials and timeless silhouettes. Each piece is a statement for a conscious consumption and a cruelty-free lifestyle. A highlight of the collection is the Jil Hoodie jacket - a versatile reversible jacket that makes a stylish statement with colorful fur or sparkling sequins. The best part: the label donates 100% of the net proceeds to animal welfare organizations such as PETA or Animal Equality. So with every purchase we are not only doing something good for ourselves, but also for the animals.
Source & Copyright by Giulia & Romeo
- INTERIOR
Circular & cosy in the bathroom
The Hamburg start-up Kushel, which is committed to sustainable textile production, presents its first recyclable Bathroom textile. The Circular Bathrug is the result of an ambitious RecyclingProject. For over a year, Kushel collected used towels from customers as part of the "Kushel Circular Project". These old towels were carefully checked and spun into an upcycled yarn with a small amount of new cotton. In total, around a ton of old towels were processed to produce the first bath rugs. With a grammage of 1400 GSM and a size of 100x70cm, the Circular Bathrug is both generously sized and particularly high quality. Kushel goes beyond the usual sustainability efforts with this product. The company already gives more resources back to the environment than are needed for production. With the Circular Bathrug, another step is now being taken to further reduce the environmental impact by reusing existing material.
Source & Copyright by Kushel
- INTERIOR
Conscious design for daily enjoyment
Handmade and sustainable is the new stoneware collection from the Berlin brand Paper & TeaThe line consists of handmade cups, mugs and jugs made of high-quality stoneware and shows the perfect symbiosis of clear shapes, sustainable design and a contemporary attitude to life. The stoneware collection is manufactured in a family-run factory in Portugal, which makes each piece unique. The pieces are fired in the oven for ten hours to ensure optimal resistance and durability. A semi-matt, reactive glaze gives each product a unique character - subtle in color, but striking in detail. All products are dishwasher safe, which makes them not only aesthetically pleasing, but also suitable for everyday use.
Source & Copyright by Paper & Tea
- ARCHITECTURE
Sustainable News from London
For more green competence within the construction industry was recently awarded in London Skyline Skills Hub The digital platform aims to close the green skills gap in the city's commercial construction sector and address the challenges of decarbonising the city. The Skyline Skills Hub acts as a central hub for best practices in sustainable green skills, enabling workers, employers and policy makers to develop the skills needed to sustainable buildings In addition, the platform promotes cooperation between companies, education providers and the government. By pooling knowledge and facilitating access to educational resources, the platform helps to prepare the city for the challenges of the future.
