Cool Hunting

Freitag Credit Card Wallets
You may already be familiar with the Swiss company, Freitag. They're known for their trendy-yet-individual bags made from old truck tarps. A couple of things you may not know are: the bags were first tested for durability on the back of a bike messenger out in San Francisco and that they outsource production to a factory that employs people with disabilities. Now that you're...

Paper Vase
Hip and Zen is a new shop offering socially responsible, modern products. This handmade and fairly traded paper vase isn't the colorful wonder that recycled magazine vase was, but the geometric shape and warm tone are still quite pleasing....

Meat and Potatoes Heaven and Hell Tee
"Heaven and Hell" is a reversible limited edition t-shirt and print that's new from Los Angeles design and ad firm Meat and Potatoes. Created for a celebrity lounge at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards in December, the four remaining from the event will be auctioned to benefit Meals on Wheels today, 26 January 2007, at 4pm EST on Ebay. Each long sleeve tee features...

Eco-Chic at the London Design Festival
Fast becoming a refreshing fixture among the flashy mega-designs (and matching mega-egos) that tend to dominate design fests, exhibits that feature "friendly" design for society and the environment are often not only the most down-to-earth designs, but also the most inspiring. The [re]design show Good+Gorgeous is an impressively large exhibit highlighting the need for responsible design. Ryan Frank’s Inkuku chair (pictured above left) is...

Studio Visit: Ting
A few weeks back, we posted a round-up of the bags for guys we most liked the look of, and at the very top of the list were those from London-based Ting. As a result, founding designer Inghua Ting got in touch and invite us round to her West End atelier for a visit. Tucked away behind Savile Row, the studio is stuffed full...

Designers Against AIDS
With a mission to revitalize flagging awareness about HIV and AIDS, Designers Against AIDS tasks artists, designers, and musicians with creating t-shirt designs. Their second season ranges from Robots United's contemporary take on a vintage look (pictured) to the characteristically bold statement, "I use a condom," by fashion designer Katherine Hamnett and Henrik Vibskov's abstract architectural arrangement. Proceeds benefit various AIDS organizations, natch, and...