Springwise: If magazines, restaurants and hotels can turn to pay-as-you-want pricing schemes to help them survive the recession, why not an ad agency? Sure enough, Agency Nil offers a variety of freelance branding, media and advertising services without any set price, leaving it instead up to clients to decide how much to pay. Clients begin by submitting a work request […]
Pay-As-You-Want Ad
Eclectically Classic Jewelry
Cool Hunting: Up and coming jewelry designer Tara Levitin’s vintage-inspired collection, Leviticus Jewelry is an eccentric mix of old badges, trophy-like medals and precious stones strung on varying chain lengths for an old-time feeling with a modern twist. “My line isn’t trend focused or seasonal,” Levitin tells CH. “I would like to consider it eclectically classic.” She credits her unique […]
Wind Powered SuperCar
Inhabitat: Seeking to expand the horizons of future-forward transportation, Ecotricity founder Dale Vince has set out to create the world’s first zero-emission, wind powered supercar. The vehicle is based upon a heavily modified Lotus Exige that has been retrofitted with an electric engine that will be charged completely by the wind! Dale has been keeping track of his progress on […]
“Upcycling” Your Cashmere Sweaters
Josh Spear: Atlanta-based designer Brooke Serson Cernonok has come up with a creative way to “upcycle” your old cashmere sweaters: she turns them into one-of-a-kind plush bears, bunnies and elephants. You can donate your sweaters to Teddylux and leave it at that, or for about $55, you can have your sweater transformed into the aforementioned animals. Each plush is hand-crafted […]
New Meat, New Business
Iconoculture: Consumers will soon be seeing some new names in the butcher case. The beef industry spent five years and $1.5 million studying the chuck roll, the area under the shoulder blade that’s normally turned into moderately priced steaks and chuck roast — and came up with five new products. Country-style Chuck Ribs are boneless and best braised, like a […]
Curbside Pickup
Trendwatching.com: Enabling customers of participating retailers to receive their packages wherever it’s convenient, PickupZone is a network of neighborhood pickup points, from convenience stores to dry cleaners. The company is currently active throughout the Boston area, but aims to expand farther afield in the near future. Innovation Jubilation [Trendwatching.com]
Glowing Sofa
Inhabitat: Via Lattea is a striking change from traditional padded furniture and also a significant upgrade from your college room blow-up chair. Low wattage lights are placed inside the pieces to emit a glowing light. While they may look like they belong in a nightclub instead of a living room, these pieces of recycled furniture require considerably less materials and […]
Urban Transporters
The Cool Hunter: Whether your cargo is kids, laundry, groceries or beach gear, the coolest way to haul it is the Madsen Cargo bike. These handy urban transporters from Salt Lake City, Utah, can carry 271 kg either in a bucket or on a rack. The bikes and the buckets come in three colors: dramatic black, yummy cream and sweet […]
Online Car Racers Compete with Live Professionals
Fiat Punto created a virtual online racing game in which the online player competes against a real racing driver on an actual circuit. Using GPS tracking, on-board cameras and CGI modelling Fiat has managed to integrate the real car into the virtual racing game so that you can test your driving skills against the professional driver. Follow the online event […]
DIY Culture
FT.com: There is a new movement afoot. Just as the self-build trend is gathering pace, so too is a new wave in do-it-yourself (DIY) projects for the home – embracing everything from plumbing, woodcarving and pottery to robotics, electronics and recycling. At the spiritual heart of all this is California-based magazine Make, which, since launching in print and online in […]