HOT 50: SUGRU

SUGRU

As designers strive tomake products and services evermore sustainable, the debate continues as towhether or not we are making – and consuming – too much stuff anyway.

Designers like Martino Gamper and Jerszy Seymour are renowned for their focus on repairing and reusing furniture tomake newthings – as is Merseystride’s homelessness charity Home,whose branding by The Chasewas voted Best of Showin DesignWeek’s Benchmarks awards last year.

But nowthat thinking can be facilitated by amaterial that allows repair,or justmakes productsmore usable.

Sugru,with the strapline Hack Things Better, is a flexible silicone that acts like amodelling clay when set.Created by Irish designer Jane niDhulchaointigh, it is durable, heat- and coldresistant, and canwithstand outdoor use and seawater. It has been created to stick to as many materials as possible, including aluminium, glass, steel, ceramics and plastics.

As it cures,Sugru becomes flexible rather than rigid,so can potentially be used to repair things like textiles,shoes or cables that need to move, aswell as formore static objects.

Sugru was nominated for the prestigious 2010 Brit Insurance Designs of the Year prize, administered by the Design Museum. It has since also been nominated for the Hospital Club 100 Brave New Future awards. This success bodeswell for a culture shift that makes us all less needy of newthings.

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