We are Nimble 78, a collaboration of five designers with the philosophy that great fashion compromises neither artistry nor the environment.

Guided by this philosophy and the belief that art can be adaptable and sustainable—Nimble—and that our fashion client deserves top of the line—Platinum (atomic #78)—service, we work to design and promote fashion forward clothing that expresses the hard work and attention to detail that goes into timeless garments whose appeal and function will serve the client and their prosperity much like great architecture.

The designers for Nimble 78 believe that we all are accountable to the world for what we design and create. We also identify with designing clothing that is beautiful, versatile, and investment-worthy.

Inspired by the temperate, yet varying, microclimates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nimble 78 has designed no seasonal-specific clothing. Our designs are conscious of the San Franciscan’s constant need to take off or put on a layer throughout any given day of the year.

Also just as the city of San Francisco inspires its residents and tourists with the harmony of nature and industry, Nimble 78 hopes to enchant our clients with well-coordinated lines and spaces as well as harmonious and organic silhouettes and laser-cutting, eco-friendly printing and dyes and appliqués for details.

Finally, because we feel that true environmental sustainability requires a community of individuals and organizations working together to the same end, we built a relationship with ISDA and Co in San Francisco, an amazing company with its own sustainability story (www.isda-and-co.com/Aboutus.asp). ISDA and Co has donated about 160 yards of wool, silk, and cotton to our project, nearly every inch of which will be used in our first collection.

San Francisco Homeless

Here is an interesting map we found on the locations of the homeless. It is interactive, so click to find out more...


SF Homeless Map

-Brent

got milk?

Matt Boyko, who was a visiting critic in our IDS class on Friday sent over this great image and information. He asked me to share it with all of you, but especially the GD + ID team who is exploring dairy. Greenbottle, designed by Martin Myerscough, is a biodegradable milk carton concept that features a unique two-part system to aid recycling and reduce landfill waste. The bottle is composed of a cardboard outer shell molded from pulped, recycled cardboard, lined with an inner sleeve of biodegradable corn starch plastic. Once the bottle is empty, the cardboard outer shell can be split open, removed and recycle or composted. The inner sleeve will decompose in a landfill within six weeks!

There's all sorts of great information out on Greenbottle's website. Be sure to check it out.


-susanK

check it out!

Design Ignites Change is talked about out on Fast Company!


-susanK

GreenRx: Design solution for safe medicine disposal (Annemarie Henning)

Hi there. I'm Annemarie Henning, a student in the Graphic Design MFA program. My project for the GR.699 Sustainability class is called GreenRx, a consumer-focused safe medicine disposal program. GreenRx will provide consumers with safe disposal options (rather than flushing down the toilet or tossing in the trash) that will reduce the harmful effects on our environment. Research shows that pills in our waterways results in aggressive lobsters, male fish becoming female, etc.

Industrial design students: I believe there is an opportunity for partnership here. If interested, please let me know.

Thanks for reviewing.

Annemarie Henning_amhenning@gmail.com_415.412.9758

Scrub Dresses?!

Hello, All!

My name is Tramaine Tillman and I am a Fashion Design major. My group (fellow members are: Kumiko, Priscilla, Nui - Textiles major, Emily, and Ashley) and I have decided to build a clothing line based upon the usage of hospital scrubs. At the start of this project, we knew we wanted to build a company based upon using an upcyclable material that will never run out and is currently being wasted. As a result, we decided to pursue hospital scrubs because while they are traditionally only used for hospital needs (or as lounge wear by the owners since they're so darn comfy), by developing the right process(es), they can be transformed into absolutely elegant garments that no one would ever know came from scrubs! Ultimately, we have created a line-up of 10 dresses primarily using scrubs; 6-8 of which will be developed in 3D format by the end of the semester. We have made a tremendous amount of progress over the past 9 weeks, but at the same time, we have only just begun. All in all, we are very excited about this wonderful niche we've discovered and can hardly wait to see the outcome. I've posted a few pictures of some of the preliminary drapes we did so you can get an idea of the transformation the scrubs are undergoing.

Thanks for taking the time to learn about our project. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to post your remarks. The proposals presented, thus far, are SO interesting and innovative. It's a pleasure to be a part of such a diverse group of talented individuals!

Best,
Tramaine

Solar Bottle

Hi all, and nice to meet you :)

My name is Izumi Kawahara. I am a student in the Industrial Design MFA program in AAU.

Thank you for sharing the info.

I found cool product "Solar Bottle" which was in prize winner collections of INDEX AWARD 2006.

Container to sterilize water in sunlight in developing country. The surface area can be wide, the whole be transparent, and time be shortened more than the bucket by 75% with an argent reflection panel.

Quenna and Ella, I wanted tell you about this product yesterday :)

Izumi

Sustainable Practices in Hotel Industry // Using Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants as a role model

Hi all,

My name is Coral Yang. I am a current student in the Graphic Design MFA program in Academy of Art University. The project for GR 699 Graphic Design & Sustainability is about introducing the sustainable practices in hotel industry and uses the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants as a role model as the first step. And then let customers bring home sustainability practices, modeled on their hotel experience, providing them with sample products and interactive messages while they are staying in Kimpton hotels.

Any comments and suggestions will be great.
Thanks

Coral
cyang1984@gmail.com

REVISION : Rethinking San Francisco's brownfields

Hi All-

My name is Elizabeth Vereker, above you will find a brief summary of my project titled REVISION. This project will focus on the development and planning of San Francisco's brown fields, focusing on the Mission Rock neighborhood. Please review the summary and provide any thoughts or questions to vereker@gmail.com

Thank you.

Toilet Paper // How our most intimate relationship with paper causes destruction to forests

Toilet paper -- probably not something we think much about in terms of how it may relate to sustainability but we use it every time we visit the bathroom -- the consumer tissue products we demand: Kleenex, Puffs, Charmin, Scott, Bounty, etc. and the "3-ply quilted super ultra soft and strong" comes at a price.

Perhaps it's time to shift our values -- do we really need to wipe our nose and bottoms with forests? And is it necessary to use toxic chlorine to make tissues white? It's what we are used to, and what is readily available, but honestly, our butts don't care.

_my goal

To promote the use of agricultural by-products in paper production specifically sugarcane. Other crops includes hemp, kenaf, banana trees, wheat, corn...which all yield high levels of fiber that can be harvested into reusable paper materials, products or building supplies. In the U.S. on average, about 250 million tons of agricultural waste is burned each year. What if all that natural material got a second chance before getting burned? a second harvest...

_more info

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/science/earth/26charmin.html
http://www.nrdc.org/land/forests/gtissue.asp
http://www.sustainable-future.org/futurefibers/index.html

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to comment or make any suggestions.

Jenny

GR.699 // Graphic Design & Sustainability

Folger's Sustainability Project

Hi all:

My name is Weilin Chang. I am a student in the Graphic Design. My topic for GR 699 Sustainability class is Folgers' sustainability project. The goal of this project is to change Folgers to be a sustainable coffee brand, to promote their new environmental mission to the customers, and to educate customers the concept and importance of sustainable coffee. Any comments is welcome. Thank you.

Weilinchng@yahoo.com

Weilin

WHOLE: Disposability of Fashion v.s. Reusability of Fashion

Hi Everyone, 

My name is Katy Liao and I am also a MFA student in the GR699 Graphic Design and Sustainability class at the Academy of Art University working with Design Ignites Change. 

My project for this semester proposes to create a fictitious fashion brand that challenges customers to wear and mend the clothing for as long as they can. 

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

Katy

contact info: katyliao@gmail.com

 

PG&E PEHV Power Program

Hello, my name is Brennan McGuigan and I am a student in the Graphic Design MFA program that is a part of the Design Ignites Change project. My current project for the GR.699 Sustainability class is about promoting PEHV or Plug-In Electric Hybrids through the usage of PG&E's already existing electrical infrastructure. 

I would love to hear what everyone thinks about this and I have included links to higher resolution PDF's for the images above if you would like to download them.

PG&E PEHV Power Program (page 1)

PG&E PEHV Power Program (page2)

B.McGuigan

brennan.mcguigan@gmail.com

Be Waste Wise!

Last week, I went to the farmer's market at Ferry Building. I saw trash cans with a sign saying,"90% of the market waste in your hand can be composted. Compost it here!". It shows people how to sort their waste and trash. And also, there is a woman hired beside helping and teaching people how to do it right.

Paul

the "closed loop" experiment

*Check out Georgia Tech's ID student Krystal Persaud's blog, in which she describes the daily observations brought on by her attempt to go an entire school term without removing any garbage from her apartment. The earlier posts are mostly just photos of trash piling up in various corners, but as the rhythm gets established, things get more interesting. Nothing focuses attention on consumption like being forced to live with the consequences of your purchases -- a requirement most of us have the luxury of ignoring. Worth watching.* as seen on Core77.com


-susanK

interesting bits

It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon these days, but this one throws me for a loop! Rumor has it, Ikea will be releasing an eco-friendly car. I find it hard to believe.

Good magazine recently posted a great chart in their transparency section. Transparency: How Much Water Do You Use? gives some great examples of how much water is used in our daily routine. I can't vouch for it's accuracy, but is sure is beautiful. It would be fun for all of us to try to calculate our footprint...

-susanK

what happened to our layout?!

I'm thinking maybe we should go back to black on white? It takes less energy to produce a screen with black and white writing than it does the other way. Anyway.

The March issues of Metropolis has some great Design for Social Impact.

Also IDEO has a work books they designed regarding the same subject matter:

Design For Social Impact: Work Book
(http://www.ideo.com/images/uploads/work/case-studies/pdfs/IDEO_RF_Workbook.pdf)

Design For Social Impact: How to Guide
(http://www.ideo.com/images/uploads/work/case-studies/pdfs/IDEO_RF_Guide.pdf)

Good Stuff! Check it out!

Sarah

water bottle bag souvenir

Hi all,

Here's a picture of a souvenir carry bag for water bottles. My aunt's brother-in-law went to South America and it was given to the tourists for the whole trip. The bag is knitted by the locals and carrying straps are added.

Dorothy

CCA Student Displays

Hi all,

This is an interesting picture I took when i went to CCA a few weeks ago and forgot to post it. Its a long line of trash which starts from the entrance then all the way along the hallway.

Dorothy

Discovery Channel: Global Warming

Hi all,

Watched a documentary yesterday by chance on the Discovery Channel about Global Warming and its effects. It's an interesting documentary. Here's the link so you can check out:

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/globalwarming/globalwarming.html


Dorothy

Switch off for Earth Hour - Please Spread the Word!

Hi all,

A friend of mine forwarded me this email:

It's as simple as the flick of a switch. The lights will go out for one hour on March 28 at 8:30 pm local time - wherever you live on planet earth. It's called Earth Hour - and it's our best bet at stopping climate change. Sign up at http://www.earthhour.org/ and spread our message of hope and action to your friends, workmates, loved ones and even those you've never talked with. Feast your eyes on the official video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CRs-7lRlPo.

Environmental action isn't always as hard as chasing after dynamite fishermen or guarding our forests against illegal loggers. Sometimes it's as simple as the flick of a switch.

See your world in a whole new light. Switch off from 8:30 to 9:30 pm on Saturday night, 28 March 2009 and spread the word. Log on to wwf.org.ph or call 840-2134 / 812-5974 to find out how else you can make a difference.

As One,

GoryoTeam Earth Hour Email: mailto:gyan@wwf.org.%20ph

Multiply: greggyan.multiply. com

Dorothy

interesting video links

If you haven't already seen this video segment, it's worth a view. It's an inside look at how the designers at IDEO take something old and familiar, like the shopping cart, and completely redesign it in just five days. Great insight into their brainstorming and conceptualization process.

part one
part two
part three

-susanK

QR CODE

Hi all,

I post　"QR code" spoken by yesterday's class.

A "QR code" is a matrix code　or two-dimensional bar code in 1994.
The "QR" is derived from "Quick Response", as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.
"QR codes" are common in Japan, where they are currently the most popular type of two dimensional codes. Moreover, most current Japanese mobile phones can read this code with their camera.

Here is QR CODE website. This website tells very clear information.

Have a great spring break :)

Izumi

Emily Pilloton lectures on March 24th

Emily Pilloton, founder of Project H Design, will be speaking at AAU on Tuesday, March 24th at 5PM. Project H Design is a design initiative that promotes humanity, habitats, health and happiness. Emily will be speaking about some of their latest projects in Uganda, India and South Africa. Please join us in welcoming Emily to AAU(!)


-susanK

A Field trip on California Academy of Sciences

Last Friday, we had a visit to California Academy of Sciences. There are so many interesting things that attractive to me. Actually it makes me broaden my eyesight.





I notice that the picture on the wall. The title is A CLIMATE FOR LIFE-MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGE. This is one of the pictures in this topic. Human seems to be trivial in nature. The exhibition shows the relationship between human and nature and suggests some ways to risk to human survive, environment, and biological diversity on the edge of extinction.





The words: Climate is an angry beast and we are poking at it with sticks. It describes the changeable and freakish climate and human destroy the ecological balance. In the exhibition, it shows principle of carbon and CO2, nature energy, and the elimination of resources.






One more interesting thing is that the UNDERWATER DIVERSITY. The fish specimens look very delicate. The academy scientist collected for the research dives. It shows another wonderful world under the water.

Yiqing

Things about Academy of Sciences

1. 3 dollars discount for alternative transition

I think it a great encouragement for people to use public transportation which is good for sustaining San Francisco.

2. Insects collection game

I like that there are some interactive games for children to learn different kinds of insects in California.

3. Promotion for the tap water

There is a poster on the wall beside the drinking fountain which says,” Bottled Water vs. Tap Water! Plastic bottled water is tested less often and subject to weaker safety standards than tap water….” It makes a good point for people not to buy bottled water because Americans have one of the safest public water supplies in the world. The poster also mentions that San Francisco’s high quality tap water comes from the Sierra Nevada.

And also I like the planetarium. The planetarium here is the coolest one I have even seen. What I admire most is the technology of projector. It really makes a realistic experience.

Paul

There is an institute called Institute Without Boundaries that I came across in undergrad that I recently re-looked at. Their objective and mission speaks to me in terms of architecture but I think it applies to any of our projects.

"Our inaugural project, Massive Change, explored and sparked a discourse on the future of global design. Our second project, World House, confronts the evolution of shelter for coming generations incorporating principles of sustainabillity, accessibility, technological responsiveness and ecological balance."

In my project(s) I'm always trying to find that balance between sustainability, accessibility, while being technologically responsive and ecologically balanced. They work to fight against the urban sprawl, which many view to be ecologically and socially irresponsible.

http://www.institutewithoutboundaries.com/

This applies to my project on food because part of the urban sprawl is about building these walmarts and bed bath and beyonds with useless facades on buildings that create what feels like a "township" in these huge plazas. Through external decoration they assume to build community when in fact the very thing these architectural facades hide does not benefit the community at all in terms of providing jobs to local farmers and craftsmen.


And for anyone looking for a short but powerful read, read The Eyes of the Skin by Juhani Pallasmaa. It's a 80 page thesis basically that a lot of architects used as a topic of their lectures. It coins a term "ocularcentrism" which discusses human nature and social pruning to make us so focused on our sense of sight that we forget how powerful and important our other senses can be to create memory and impact in our lives.

- Victor