From toys made out of recycled plastic bottles to a new, more inclusive football world, here are some things that made us say “That’s Interesting” in the studio this week.
So, we see beloved toy brands innovating to become more eco-conscious, lifestyle tech getting an inclusive boost, a new traffic light system on food packaging to help consumers make more informed sustainable choices, and sport giants redefining football to propel it into a new age of diversity and opportunity.
Eco-Lego.
We admit it, we are massive Lego fans… In last week’s That’s Interesting, we featured their collab with Adidas. This week, we loved Lego’s latest sustainability initiative: the toy brand has created its first prototype bricks made entirely from recycled PET. The material comes from discarded bottles, and a 1 litre plastic bottle provides enough material for around 10 bricks. The prototype is now undergoing strength testing and is yet another step in Lego’s sustainable journey and mission to switch to sustainable materials for all their products by 2030. Finding a better way of managing our waste is at the heart of finding sustainable solutions – how else can we keep materials out of landfill and give them a positive, meaningful purpose for longer?
Build the future here
Amplified voices.
AirPods have become a true lifestyle accessory – be it for calls, podcasts, music or audiobooks, these devices are key to how we stay connected to the things that matter to us. Apple has now announced that it will be making AirPods Pro even better and more inclusive by adding a new feature called Conversation Boost. This function will make it easier for those with mild hearing impairments to hear others when having a face-to-face conversation by isolating the speaker’s voice, even in a noisy environment. Inclusivity is about offering everyone access and opportunity and it does not necessarily require an ad-hoc or niche product or service – how can everyday objects be designed and enhanced to be right for all users?
The sound of change here
A, B, C… Green!
UK consumers are already familiar with the traffic light labelling system used to communicate the nutritional value of food items. But carbs, fats and salt are not the only things consumers are looking out for these days – environmental impact is also key. Therefore, a selection of brands and supermarkets such as Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Abel & Cole and Costa are joining forces to trial a new labelling system under the government-backed Foundation Earth programme. This means that from now on their food packaging will feature an environmental score in the form of a traffic light labelling system, designed to inform consumers about the environmental impact of the product and to help them make more eco-conscious shopping decisions. How else can information, communication and transparency leverage consumer choice to create opportunities for sustainable innovation?
Choose green here
Play new.
Nike has released a new short film with a powerful message about inclusivity and diversity in sport. The land of new football looks to create a world in which all people are included in the game of football and features the likes of Marcus Rashford (English footballer and activist), German midfielder Sara Däbritz, Lorenzo Greer (young YouTube star and soccer player) and the UK’s first Muslim woman referee, JJ Robles. It’s an emotive, empowering and pertinent campaign about anyone and everyone being able to find joy in the sport, using it as a platform to be and become whatever they want.