Artecnica / Design With a Conscience

By roadvermin

There are several factors in design, including asthetic and functionality, that receives the most attention from most consumers and creators alike. Although this is important, there are a growing number of designers that have made a movement towards 'designing with a conscience', using eco-friendly methods and the thoughtful process of acknowledging the social impact of their work. If anything, this conscientious effort can add that special touch and integrity that isn't normally found by conventional creation.

Artecnica - tranSglass Treehugger.com has a wonderful interview with Tahmineh Javanbakht, the co-founder and art director of Artecnica. Her company launched the 'Design With Conscience' program starting with a series of glasses created from recycled bottles from recycling plants in Guatemala. Not only has this program allowed local workers to be properly paid and trained to make artisan works, the ethnically produced products have been selling worldwide.

Excerpts: Artecnica - Grinding glass

"When Aid To Artisans helped Artecnica find a suitable factory Tord and Enrico Bressan, the co-founder of Artecnica, went to Guatemala to teach them how to cut the bottles. The first tests went badly and they feared they would have to find another factory, but after a week or more of hard work and persistence the quality improved. Eventually the workers perfected the art of glass cutting with the diamond wheel and they are now excited and proud to be working on this project."

"Whilst Artecnica's other product lines are separate from the Design With Conscience series Tahmineh is keen to point that Artecnica is scrupulous in their evaluation of all the factories that produce their designs, whether this is on a smaller scale with artisan communities or on a mass production scale in China."

For the rest of the article, click here.

-RV's Girl

Tagged:
eco-friendly design